Afghanistan

State · 1979–2026 CE · at its largest around 2006 CE

Afghanistan from the Soviet intervention of 1979 onward, a period of near-continuous war involving Communist governments, mujahideen factions, the Taliban and US-led forces. The Taliban returned to power in 2021.

On its lands while it lasted

Ahmad Shah Massoud (1953 CE – 2001 CE): Afghan commander from the Panjshir Valley who fought the Soviets and later the Taliban; he was assassinated two days before 11 September 2001.
Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989 CE): Soviet intervention in Afghanistan against mujahideen insurgents backed by the United States, Pakistan and others; Soviet troops withdrew in 1989.
Operation Blue Star (1984 CE): Indian army operation against armed militants in the Golden Temple, Amritsar; it was followed by the assassination of Indira Gandhi.
Afghan Civil War (1992–1996) (1992–1996 CE): Conflict among mujahideen factions after the fall of the communist government, which devastated Kabul and ended with the Taliban capture of the city.
Malala Yousafzai (born 1997 CE): Pakistani education activist from Swat who survived a Taliban shooting in 2012 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) (2001–2021 CE): US-led invasion after the September 11 attacks that toppled the Taliban, followed by a long insurgency until the US withdrawal in 2021.
Bamiyan Buddhas destroyed (2001 CE): The Taliban dynamited the two monumental Buddha statues of Bamiyan in March 2001, drawing worldwide condemnation.
2005 Kashmir earthquake (2005 CE): Magnitude 7.6 earthquake centred near Muzaffarabad that killed more than 80,000 people, mostly in Pakistan.
Killing of Osama bin Laden (2011 CE): United States special forces killed the al-Qaeda leader at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Fall of Kabul (2021 CE): The Taliban captured Kabul on 15 August 2021 as US-led forces withdrew, returning to power in Afghanistan.