Afghanistan

Map and flag of Afghanistan

Afghanistan
Over view:
Landlocked and mountainous, Afghanistan has suffered from such chronic instability and conflict during its modern history that its economy and infrastructure are in ruins, and many of its people are refugees.
Since the fall of the Taliban administration in 2001, adherents of the hard-line Islamic movement have re-grouped. 
It is now a resurgent force, particularly in the south and east, and the Afghan government has struggled to extend its authority beyond the capital and to forge national unity.
Its strategic position sandwiched between the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent along the ancient "Silk Route" means that Afghanistan has long been fought over - despite its rugged and forbidding terrain.
Great Game It was at the centre of the so-called "Great Game" in the 19th century when Imperial Russia and the British Empire in India vied for influence.
And it became a key Cold War battleground after thousands of Soviet troops intervened in 1979 to prop up a pro-communist regime, leading to a major confrontation that drew in the US and Afghanistan's neighbours.
But the outside world eventually lost interest after the withdrawal of Soviet forces, while the country's protracted civil war dragged on.

At a glance

Foreign troops patrol Afghanistan
  • Afghanistan has been torn by conflict for decades
  • Nato-led foreign combat troops are due to withdraw in 2014
  • The Taliban - who were ousted by a US-led invasion - want to restore strict Islamic rule and have been making a come-back

The emergence of the Taliban - originally a group of Islamic scholars - brought at least a measure of stability after nearly two decades of conflict.
But their extreme version of Islam attracted widespread criticism.
The Taliban - drawn from the largest ethnic group, the Pashtuns - were opposed by an alliance of factions drawn mainly from Afghanistan's other communities and based in the north.
In control of about 90% of Afghanistan until late 2001, the Taliban were recognised as the legitimate government by only three countries.
They were at loggerheads with the international community over the presence on their soil of Osama bin Laden, who ordered the bombing of US embassies in Africa in 1998 and the attacks in the US on 11 September 2001.
After the Taliban's refusal to hand over Bin Laden, the US initiated aerial attacks in October 2001, paving the way for opposition groups to drive them from power and heralding a long-term, Nato-led military presence.
Predictions of the Taliban's demise after the adoption of a new constitution in 2004 proved to be premature - the extremist group came back with a vengeance and violence increased.
Military withdrawal Amid a rising death toll and the increasing unpopularity of the conflict among Western voters, pressure grew for a withdrawal of foreign forces.
In 2012, the 11th year of the conflict, Nato backed plans to hand over combat duties to Afghan forces by mid-2013. Some 130,000 Nato-led combat troops will leave Afghanistan by December 2014.
The alliance says it is committed to a long-term strategic relationship with Afghanistan beyond that date. Foreign military trainers will stay on.
Meanwhile, tentative steps towards a negotiated peace agreement were made in 2012, when the Taliban announced they had agreed to open an office in Dubai for talks with US officials.
Drugs trade Afghanistan's economy depends heavily on the drugs trade. The country supplies over 90% of the world's opium, the raw ingredient of heroin.
International bodies and governments say the drugs trade is helping to fuel the Taliban insurgency, which is estimated to receive up to US$100m a year from the trade.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime has called on Afghanistan to target the major traffickers and corrupt government officials, who it says operate with impunity. 

Facts:

Full name: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 
Population: 29.1 million (UN, 2010)
Capital and largest city: Kabul  
Area: 652,225 sq km (251,773 sq miles) 
Major languages: Dari, Pashto 
Major religion: Islam 
Life expectancy: 49 years (men), 49 years (women) (UN) 
Monetary unit: Afghani 
Main exports: Fruit and nuts, carpets, wool, opium 
GNI per capita: US $370 (World Bank, 2009) 
Internet domain: .af 
International dialling code: +93

Media:

Media outlets - private TV stations in particular - have mushroomed in the post-Taliban years.
Radio, the main source of entertainment and news, is losing audience to TV.
By late 2011 there were 75 terrestrial TV stations, 175 FM radios and hundreds of press titles, operating under a wide range of ownerships - from the government, provincial political-military powers and private owners to foreign and NGO sponsors.
Australian-Afghan media group Moby Capital Partners operates some leading stations, including Tolo (Sunrise) TV and Arman FM.
Islamic rules apply Much of the output on private TVs consists of imported Indian music shows and serials, and programmes modelled on Western formats. Tolo TV is the most popular national station.
Media laws ban material that is deemed to be against Islamic law and some private stations have angered religious conservatives.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says parts of the south and east are no-go areas for journalists since they are controlled by the Taliban. News organisations are also under threat from local and national officials and some Islamist clerics, the watchdog says.
Foreign-based or foreign-funded radios broadcast in Kabul, including the BBC (89 FM), Radio France Internationale, Deutsche Welle and US-backed networks Radio Free Afghanistan (broadcasting as Azadi Radio) and the Voice of America, which brands in Dari and Pashto as Radio Ashna ("Friend").
BBC World Service is available on FM in other major cities, and on shortwave across Afghanistan.
Newspaper readership has seen a significant leap, from almost nil under Taliban rule. Newspapers tend to reflect more openly on domestic developments than do broadcasters.
Internet access is limited and computer literacy and ownership rates are low. There were more than 1.2 million internet users by December 2011 (Internetworldstats.com).
Internet services are said to have become faster and cheaper thanks to an international fibre optic cable connection. The launch of 3G mobile services in 2012 is likely to boost internet activity, including social media use.

The press

Radio

  • Arman FM - Afghanistan's first private radio station, on FM in Kabul and other cities
  • Radio Afghanistan - run by state broadcaster National Radio-TV Afghanistan (NRTA)

Television

  • National Television Afghanistan - run by state broadcaster (NRTA), via terrestrial relays and satellite
  • Tolo TV - leading private network, operated by Moby Group; via provincial relays and satellite
  • TOLOnews - Moby Group's news network, via satellite; website in English
  • Lemar TV - private, Pashto-language sister station of Tolo TV
  • 1 TV - private, broadcasts to major cities terrestrially
  • Ariana TV - private, broadcasts terrestrially in many provinces and via satellite to Asia, Europe and North America
  • Shamshad TV - private, available terrestrially in major cities

News agencies


 Time Line:

A chronology of key events:
1838-42 - British forces invade, install King Shah Shujah. He is assassinated in 1842. British and Indian troops are massacred during retreat from Kabul.
1878-80 - Second Anglo-Afghan War. A treaty gives Britain control of Afghan foreign affairs.
1919 - Emir Amanullah Khan declares independence from British influence.
1926-29 - Amanullah tries to introduce social reforms, which however stir civil unrest. He flees.
1933 - Zahir Shah becomes king and Afghanistan remains a monarchy for next four decades.
1953 - General Mohammed Daud becomes prime minister. Turns to Soviet Union for economic and military assistance. Introduces social reforms, such as abolition of purdah (practice of secluding women from public view).
1963 - Mohammed Daud forced to resign as prime minister.
1964 - Constitutional monarchy introduced - but leads to political polarisation and power struggles.
1973 - Mohammed Daud seizes power in a coup and declares a republic. Tries to play off USSR against Western powers.
1978 - General Daud is overthrown and killed in a coup. Start of armed revolt.
Soviet intervention 1979 December - Soviet Red Army invades and props up communist government.
1980 - Babrak Karmal installed as ruler, backed by Soviet troops. But anti-regime resistance intensifies with various mujahideen groups fighting Soviet forces. US, Pakistan, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia supply money and arms.
1985 - Mujahideen come together in Pakistan to form alliance against Soviet forces. Half of Afghan population now estimated to be displaced by war, with many fleeing to neighbouring Iran or Pakistan.
1986 - 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.
1988 - Afghanistan, USSR, the US and Pakistan sign peace accords and Soviet Union begins pulling out troops.
Red Army quits 1989 - Last Soviet troops leave, but civil war continues as mujahideen push to overthrow Najibullah.
1992 - Najibullah's government toppled, but a devastating civil war follows.
Najibullah with Soviet soldiers, 1986 President Najibullah (centre) headed the Soviet-backed regime
1996 - 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.
1997 - Taliban recognised as legitimate rulers by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. They now control about two-thirds of country.
1998 - US launches missile strikes at suspected bases of militant Osama bin Laden, accused of bombing US embassies in Africa.
1999 - UN imposes an air embargo and financial sanctions to force Afghanistan to hand over Osama bin Laden for trial.
2001 September - Ahmad Shah Masood, leader of the main opposition to the Taliban - the Northern Alliance - is assassinated.
US-led invasion 2001 October - US-led bombing of Afghanistan begins following the September 11 attacks on the United States. Anti-Taliban Northern Alliance forces enter Kabul shortly afterwards.
2001 December - Afghan groups agree deal in Bonn, Germany for interim government.
Delegates at Loya Jirga, 2004 Loya Jirga delegates adopted a new constitution in 2004
Hamid Karzai is sworn in as head of an interim power-sharing government.
2002 January - Deployment of first contingent of foreign peacekeepers - the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) - marking the start of a protracted fight against the Taliban.
2002 April - Former king Zahir Shah returns, but makes no claim to the throne and dies in 2007.
2002 June - 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.
2003 August - Nato takes control of security in Kabul, its first-ever operational commitment outside Europe.
Elections 2004 January - Loya Jirga adopts new constitution which provides for strong presidency.
2004 October-November - Presidential elections. Hamid Karzai is declared winner.
2005 September - Afghans vote in first parliamentary elections in more than 30 years.
2005 December - Parliament opens with warlords and strongmen in most of the seats.
Women voting in Kabul, 2005 2005 vote: The first parliamentary poll in more than 30 years
2006 October - Nato assumes responsibility for security across the whole of Afghanistan, taking command in the east from a US-led coalition force.
2007 August - Opium production has soared to a record high, the UN reports.
2008 June - President Karzai warns that Afghanistan will send troops into Pakistan to fight militants if Islamabad fails to take action against them.
2008 July - Suicide bomb attack on Indian embassy in Kabul kills more than 50.
2008 September - US President George Bush sends an extra 4,500 US troops to Afghanistan, in a move he described as a "quiet surge".
2009 January - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates tells Congress that Afghanistan is new US administration's "greatest test".
2009 February - Nato countries pledge to increase military and other commitments in Afghanistan after US announces dispatch of 17,000 extra troops.
New US approach 2009 March - 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.
2009 August - Presidential and provincial elections are marred by widespread Taliban attacks, patchy turnout and claims of serious fraud.
2009 October - Mr Karzai declared winner of August presidential election, after second-placed opponent Abdullah Abdullah pulls out before the second round.
2009 December - 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.
An Al-Qaeda double agent kills seven CIA agents in a suicide attack on a US base in Khost.
2010 February - Nato-led forces launch major offensive, Operation Moshtarak, in bid to secure government control of southern Helmand province.
US General Petraeus in Kandahar (2010 picture) US General David Petraeus in Kandahar: President Obama announced a troop surge in late 2009
2010 July - Whistleblowing website Wikileaks publishes thousands of classified US military documents relating to Afghanistan.
General David Petraeus takes command of US, ISAF forces.
2010 August - Dutch troops quit.
Karzai says private security firms - accused of operating with impunity - must cease operations. He subsequently waters down the decree.
2010 September - Parliamentary polls marred by Taliban violence, widespread fraud and a long delay in announcing results.
2010 November - Nato - at summit in Lisbon - agrees plan to hand control of security to Afghan forces by end of 2014.
2011 January - President Karzai makes first official state visit to Russia by an Afghan leader since the end of the Soviet invasion in 1989.
2011 February - Number of civilians killed since the 2001 invasion hit record levels in 2010, Afghanistan Rights Monitor reports.
2011 April - Burning of Koran by a US pastor prompts country-wide protests in which foreign UN workers and several Afghans are killed.
Some 500 mostly Taliban prisoners break out of prison in Kandahar.
2011 July - President's half-brother and Kandahar governor Ahmad Wali Karzai is killed in Taliban campaign against prominent figures.
2011 September - Ex-president Burhanuddin Rabbani - a go-between in talks with the Taliban - is assassinated.
2011 October - As relations with Pakistan worsen after a series of attacks, Afghanistan and India sign a strategic partnership to expand co-operation in security and development.
Former Taliban fighters display their weapons, Herat, 2012 Former Taliban fighters in Herat: Insurgents are waging a fierce campaign against the government
Military pact 2011 November - 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.
2011 December - At least 58 people are killed in twin attacks at a Shia shrine in Kabul and a Shia mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif.
Pakistan and the Taleban boycott the scheduled Bonn Conference on Afghanistan. Pakistan refuses to attend after a Nato air strike killed Pakistani soldiers on the Afghan border.
2012 January - Taliban agree to open office in Dubai as a move towards peace talks with the US and the Afghan government.
2012 February - 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.
2012 March - US Army Sgt Robert Bales is accused of killing 16 civilians in an armed rampage in the Panjwai district of Kandahar.
2012 April - Taliban announce "spring offensive" with audacious attack on the diplomatic quarter of Kabul. The government blamed the Haqqani Network. Security forces kill 38 militants.
Nato withdrawal plan 2012 May - Nato summit endorses the plan to withdraw foreign combat troops by the end of 2014.
Afghan gunner, Pech Valley, 2012 Nato troops will withdraw by late 2014, giving security responsibilities to Afghan forces
New French President Francois Hollande says France will withdraw its combat mission by the end of 2012 - a year earlier than planned.
Arsala Rahmani of the High Peace Council is shot dead in Kabul. A former Taliban minister, he was crucial in reaching out to rebel commanders. The Taliban deny responsibility.
2012 July - Tokyo donor conference pledges $16bn in civilian aid to Afghanistan up to 2016, with US, Japan, Germany and UK supplying bulk of funds. Afghanistan agrees to new conditions to counter corruption.
2012 August - The US military discipline six soldiers for accidentally burning copies of the Koran and other religious texts in Afghanistan. They will not face criminal prosecution. Three US Marines are also disciplined for a video in which the bodies of dead Taliban fighters were urinated on.
2012 September - US hands over Bagram high-security jail to the Afghan government, although it retains control over some foreign prisoners. Taleban attack the nearby Bagram air base the following day. The US also suspends training new police recruits in order to carry out checks on possible ties to Taliban following series of attacks on foreign troops by apparent police and Afghan soldiers.
 

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