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Soviet intervention
Soviet Army invades and props up communist government. -
Red Army quits
Last Soviet troops leave, but civil war continues as mujahideen push to overthrow Najibullah. -
government toples
Najibullah's government toppled, but a devastating civil war follows -
taliban takes over
Taliban seize control of Kabul and introduce hard-line version of Islam, banning women from work, and introducing Islamic punishments, which include stoning to death and amputations. -
missle happens
US launches missile strikes at suspected bases of militant Osama bin Laden, accused of bombing US embassies in Africa. -
ahmad assassinated
Ahmad Shah Masood, leader of the main opposition to the Taliban - the Northern Alliance - is assassinated -
bombing of afghanistan starts
US-led bombing of Afghanistan begins following the September 11 attacks on the United States. Anti-Taliban Northern Alliance forces enter Kabul shortly afterwards. -
Elections
Loya Jirga adopts new constitution which provides for strong presidency. -
nato assumes
Nato assumes responsibility for security across the whole of Afghanistan, taking command in the east from a US-led coalition force. -
troops will be sent
President Karzai warns that Afghanistan will send troops into Pakistan to fight militants if Islamabad fails to take action against them. -
attack on india
Suicide bomb attack on Indian embassy in Kabul kills more than 50. -
US sends troops
US President George Bush sends an extra 4,500 US troops to Afghanistan, in a move he described as a "quiet surge" -
nato says to increas military
Nato countries pledge to increase military and other commitments in Afghanistan after US announces dispatch of 17,000 extra troops. -
obama adds 30,00 troops
US President Obama decides to boost US troop numbers in Afghanistan by 30,000, bringing total to 100,000. He says US will begin withdrawing its forces by 2011. -
spring offensive
Taliban announce "spring offensive" with audacious attack on the diplomatic quarter of Kabul. The government blamed the Haqqani Network. Security forces kill 38 militants.
