2014 Event The United States and allied forces end the combat mission in Afghanistan, which began in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.; about 13,000 troops will stay to train Afghan police and military forces in their fight against the Taliban 2014 Event U.S. officials return four Afghan prisoners to Afghanistan after more than ten years of detention in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; the Obama administration is working to clear and release remaining prisoners in order to close the facility 2014 Event The U.S. Obama administration will keep over 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, delaying fulfillment of Obama's pledge to withdraw all but 9,800 troops; the plan is to reduce troops to around 5,500 by the end of next year 2014 Event Afghan officials have signed a pact with the U.S. to maintain troops in the country beyond the end of 2014 and provide Afghanistan with funding; former Afghan President Hamid Karzai would not sign the agreement due to his opposition to U.S. presence 2014 Event Ashraf Ghani is sworn in as Afghanistan's new president; Ghani will share power with runner-up candidate Abdullah Abdullah, who has taken the position of chief executive 2014 Event Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah have agreed to share power in a unity government, with Ghani as president and Abdullah as chief executive officer of Afghanistan; both men claimed fraud after the election, prompting a U.N.-monitored recount 2014 Event President Barack Obama exchanges 5 Guantanamo Bay prisoners for the lone U.S. prisoner of war in Afghanistan, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl; some lawmakers protest that the secret exchange was illegal because Congress was not notified in advance 2014 Event President Barack Obama plans to keep 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan through the end of 2015 and then reduce this number over the following two years to a small force; the troops will train Afghan forces and conduct counterterrorism operations 2014 Event Polio is on the rise as unvaccinated refugees travel across borders; though most prevalent in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, infections are now appearing in other parts of Asia and Africa; young children are the most vulnerable 2014 Event The death toll from a landslide covering Hobo Barik, Afghanistan is estimated to be at least 2,000; though only 350 are confirmed deceased, authorities lack the equipment needed to attempt a full rescue 2012 Event In the U.S., President Obama nominates John R. Allen as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), with General Joseph Dunford positioned to succeed Allen in his previous post of commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan 2012 Event After Secretary of State Hillary Clinton apologized for a NATO airstrike that killed 26 Pakistani soldiers and officials, Pakistan reopens key NATO supply routes into Afghanistan 2012 Event The newly-elected President of France, Francois Hollande, makes a surprise visit to see the French troops in Afghanistan 2011 Event The English town Wooten Bassett is re-named with the prefix 'Royal', honoring its role in repatriating British military personnel killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan 2011 Event In Kabul, a rocket is fired into the compound of Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan 2011 Event At least 20 Navy SEALs and 17 others die when a NATO Chinook helicopter crashes after being shot down by the Taliban in Afghanistan 2011 Event Command of the NATO forces in Afghanistan transfers from U.S. General David Petraeus to U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Genreal John R. Allen 2011 Event In Afghanistan, the Taliban drop their ban on education for females due to a 'cultural change' 2010 Event NATO nations reach an agreement to begin handing over Afghanistan's security to the Afghanistan military by 2014 2010 Event In a BBC interview, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said it was 'impossible' for coalition forces to secure victory in Afghanistan 2010 Event The U.N. compound in Herat, western Afghanistan, is attacked by a suicide bomber 2010 Event The Medal of Honor is awarded for the first time since the Vietnam War; U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta received the medal for his actions during the War in Afghanistan 2010 Event Director of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, announces plans to release remaining Afghan War Diary documents from War in Afghanistan 2010 Event Over 92,000 classified documents detailing incidents related to the war in Afghanistan are released by Wikileaks; this is the largest leak in U.S military history 2010 Event U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague says British soldiers should be out of Afghanistan by 2014 2010 Event The U.K. will increase aid to poor nations, including a 40% increase in Afghanistan, while reducing aid to 'powerhouses' like Russia, China and other eastern European countries 2010 Event General Stanley McChrystal, leader of the U.S. war Afghanistan announces his retirement after making controversial statements in 'Rolling Stone' magazine 2010 Event After new allegations of torture, the International Committee of the Red Cross reports a second U.S. secret prison exists at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan 2010 Event Six people are killed by a remotely operated bomb while travelling in southern Afghanistan in Tirin Kot, the capital of Afghanistan's Uruzgan province 2010 Event Suicide bombers carry out a number of attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people 2010 Event A suicide bomber kills 20 people at a market in Afghanistan's Oruzgan Province 2008 Event Taliban suicide bombing kills 80 in Kandahar, Afghanistan 2002 Event Earthquake kills at least 1,000 100 miles north of Kabul, Afghanistan 2002 Event Earthquake kills at least 150 100 miles north of Kabul, Afghanistan 2001 Event U.S. launches strikes against the Taleban in Afghanistan, in retaliation for the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US. 1998 Event Earthquake kills about 5,000 in northern Afghanistan 1998 Event Earthquake kills about 2,300 in northern Afghanistan 1996 Death Babrak Karmal, Prime Minister of Afghanistan 1980 - 1981, dies 1996 Death Najibullah, President of Afghanistan Democratic Party 1986 - 1990, executed 1993 Event Afghanistan president Ishaq Khan and premier Nawaz Sharif resign 1992 Event Burharnuddin Rabbani becomes president of Afghanistan 1992 Event Afghanistan president Najibullah resigns 1991 Event Afghanistan and Pakistan hit by earthquake, 1,200 die 1989 Event Soviet military occupation of Afghanistan ends 1988 Event Russian troops begin pull out of Afghanistan after 9 year war 1988 Event Moscow began withdrawing its 115,000 troops in Afghanistan 1988 Event U.S.S.R., U.S., Pakistan and Afghanistan sign Afghanistan treaty 1988 Event Russia announced it would withdraw its troops from Afghanistan 1987 Event Afghanistan Constitution adopted 1986 Event Afghanistan President Babrak Karmal flees 1986 Event President Babrak Karmal resigns as party leader of Afghanistan 1984 Event Russian offensive in Panshirvallei, Afghanistan 1983 Event Radio Moscow announcer Vladimir Danchev praises Afghanistan Muslims standing up to Russia; he is removed from the air 1982 Event Fire in Salung tunnel, Afghanistan, 1,000+ Russians die 1980 Event Afghanistan declares martial law 1979 Event Soviet troops invade Afghanistan, President Hafizullah Amin overthrown 1979 Death Hafizullah Amin, president of Afghanistan (1979), murdered 1979 Event U.S.S.R. airlifts invasionary army to Afghanistan 1979 Event Coup in Afghanistan under Hafizullah Amin 1979 Death Nur Mohammed Taraki, president of Afghanistan (1978-79), killed 1979 Death Adolph Dubs, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, murdered 1978 Event Afghanistan revolution (National Day), pro-Russian military coup 1978 Death Mohammed Daud, premier/president of Afghanistan, murdered 1973 Event Military coup in Afghanistan; King Mohammad Zahir Shah flees 1971 Event Abdul Zahir appointed premier of Afghanistan 1959 Birthday Abdul Ahad Mohmand, Afghanistan, cosmonaut, Soyuz TM-6 1957 Birthday Hamid Karzai, born in Karz, Afghanistan, Pashtun of the Popalzai tribe, Sunni Muslim, politician, Independent Party, 12th President of Afghanistan 1956 Event Heavy earthquake strikes Afghanistan, 400 killed 1933 Death Mohammed Nadir Shah, king of Afghanistan, assassin by Abdul Khallig 1931 Event U.S.S.R. and Afghanistan sign neutrality treaty 1929 Event Mohammed Nadir Khan occupies Kabul Afghanistan/drives out H Ghazi 1926 Event Mohammed Nadir Khan begins coup in Afghanistan, 1200 killed 1926 Event Persia, Turkey and Afghanistan sign treaties of security 1921 Event After 84 years of British control, Afghanistan achieves sovereignty 1919 Event Afghanistan declares independence from U.K. 1919 Event Treaty of Rawalpindi, British recognize Afghanistan's independence 1919 Event Afghanistan Emir Amanoellah begins war against Great Britain 1914 Birthday Mohammed Sahir, shah, Afghanistan 1907 Event Britain and Russia sign treaty with Afghanistan, Persia and Tibet 1901 Death Abdoer-Rahman, emir of Afghanistan, dies 1892 Birthday Amanullah, emir/king of Afghanistan, 1919-28 1879 Event British troops occupy Kabul Afghanistan 1841 Event Akbar Khan successfully revolts against Shah Shuja in Afghanistan 1795 Birthday Henry Havelock, British soldier, War in Afghanistan 1838-39 1207 Birthday Rumi, born in Balkh, Khorasan, now Afghanistan, Mawlana, Mawlawi, poet, theologian, wrote, the six books of the Masnavi, influenced Persian literature
