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British Invade Afghanistan
British forces invade, King Shah Shujah. He is assassinated in 1842. British and Indian troops are killed during withdraw from Kabul. -
Second War
Second Anglo-Afghan War. A treaty gives Britain control of Afghan foreign events. -
Independence
Emir Amanullah Khan declares independence from British influence. -
Amanullah Flees
Amanullah tries to introduces changes, stirs troubles, and Amanullah flees. -
Zahir Shah is King
Zahir Shah becomes king and Afghanistan remains a monarchy for next 40 years. -
Prime Minister
General Mohammed Daud becomes prime minister. He turns to Soviet Union for economic and military assistance. -
Mohammed Daud
Mohammed Daud is forced to resign as prime minister. -
Constitutional Monarchy
Constitutional monarchy introduced - but leads to political polarization and power struggles. -
Mohammed Daud grabs power
Mohammed Daud grabs power and declares a republic. Tries to play off the soviet against Western powers. -
Daud is overthrown
General Daud is overthrown and killed by the pro-Soviet. The People's Democratic Party comes to power but is stopped by violent fighting by US-backed mujahideen groups. -
Communist Government
Soviet Army invades and makes a communist government. -
Forces against Babrak Karmal
Babrak Karmal is ruler, elected by Soviet troops. But a lot of people with mujahideen groups fighting Soviet forces. US, Pakistan, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia supply money and weapons to the mujahideen. -
Leaving
Mujahideen came together in Pakistan to form alliance against Soviet forces. Half of the Afghan population now estimated to be replaced by war, with many leaving to Iran or Pakistan. -
US Helps
US begins supplying mujahideen with Stinger missiles, enabling them to shoot down Soviet helicopter gunships. Babrak Karmal replaced by Najibullah as head of Soviet-backed regime. -
Peace
Afghanistan, USSR, the US and Pakistan sign peace and Soviet Union begins pulling out troops. -
Overthrow
Last Soviet troops leave, but civil war continues as mujahideen push to overthrow Najibullah. -
Bad Civil War
Najibullah's government toppled, but a bad civil war happens. -
Taliban Takes Control
Taliban take 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 -
Taliban
Taliban recognised as legitimate rulers by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. They now control about two-thirds of country. -
US
US launches missile strikes at suspected bases of militant Osama bin Laden, accused of bombing US embassies in Africa. -
UN
UN imposes an air embargo and financial sanctions to force Afghanistan to hand over Osama bin Laden for trial. -
Aghan Groups
Afghan groups agree deal in Bonn, Germany for interim government. -
Loya Jinga
Loya Jirga, or grand council, elects Hamid Karzai as interim head of state. Karzai picks members of his administration which is to serve until 2004. -
Nato
Nato takes control of security in Kabul, its first-ever operational commitment outside Europe. -
Hamid Karzai
Presidential elections. Hamid Karzai is declared winner. -
Parliment
Afghans vote in first parliamentary elections in more than 30 years. -
Nato
Nato assumes responsibility for security across the whole of Afghanistan, taking command in the east from a US-led coalition force. -
Opium
Opium production has soared to a record high, the UN reports -
Terrorists
Suicide bomb attack on Indian embassy in Kabul kills more than 50. -
Barack Obama
US President Barack Obama unveils new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. An extra 4,000 US personnel will train and bolster the Afghan army and police and there will be support for civilian development -
Wikileaks
Whistleblowing website Wikileaks publishes thousands of classified US military documents relating to Afghanistan. -
Karzai
President Karzai wins the endorsement of tribal elders to negotiate a 10-year military partnership with the US at a loya jirga traditional assembly. The proposed pact will see US troops remain after 2014, when foreign troops are due to leave the country. -
Protests
At least 30 people are killed in protests about the burning of copies of the Koran at the US Bagram airbase. US officials believed Taliban prisoners were using the books to pass messages, and that they were extremist texts not Korans. Two soldiers are also killed in reprisal attacks. -
Jail
US hands over Bagram high-security jail to the Afghan government, although it retains control over some foreign prisoners until March 2013. -
Election
Election officials begin recount of all votes cast in June's presidential run-off, as part of a US-mediated deal to end dispute between candidates over widespread claims of fraud -
President
President Karzai and Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari agree to work for an Afghan peace deal within six months after talks hosted by Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron. They back the opening of an Afghan office in Doha and urge the Taliban to do the same for talks to take place. -
NATO
NATO-led follow-on mission "Resolute Support" gets underway, with some 12,000 personnel to provide further training and support for Afghan security forces.
