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Early 1500s: control of land in present-day Afghanistan

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Early 1500s: control of land in present-day Afghanistan

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Southern and Western Afghanistan was controlled by the Iranian Safavid Empire. Northern Afghanistan was controlled by Uzbeks. Eastern Afghanistan was controlled by the Indian Mughal Empire. Mughal and Safavid Empires declined and lost influence over time. Pashtuns gained influence.

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He was the treasurer when leader Nadir Shah was killed. Durrani's family would remain in power until 1978.

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Britain attempted to use military force to capture Afghanistan in 1836 and 1878. It failed both times. After this, Britain appointed Abdur Rahman Khan as the Afghan king in an attempt to make Afghanistan a British puppet state. He was a very brutal leader.

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After World War II, the United States and Russia became the two most powerful countries in the world. They competed for influence in many developing countries. Both the United States and Russia donated millions of dollars of aid in an attempt to the favor of the Afghan leadership.

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Mohammed Daoud, the Afghan leader, was killed by communists from the Afghan army who wanted to create a communist government. The revolution was only supported by a small number of army officers and members of Soviet-supported communist groups.

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In 1979 the Soviet military invaded Afghanistan to support the communist government amidst struggles within the Afghan leadership. The United States, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Egypt supported the mujahideen or Afghan resistance with money or weapons. These countries did not want the spread of Russian influence. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Egypt wanted to support Muslim allies. As the war went on, the United States government sent more and more weapons to mujahideen fighters. The United States originally supplied small rifles and machine guns, but towards the mid 1980s, they were providing guided anti-aircraft missiles.
Additional source: https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/18/world/arming-afghan-guerrillas-a-huge-effort-led-by-us.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/18/world/arming-afghan-guerrillas-a-huge-effort-led-by-us.html

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1989-1992: End of Afghan Communist Government

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1989-1992: End of Afghan Communist Government

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Soviet forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 due to the high financial cost and unpopularity of the war. Following the withdrawal, Mohammed Najibullah became the president of Afghanistan. The mujahideen failed to overthrown him because they did not cooperate effectively. Najibullah's government collapsed after the end of Russian aid 1992. Najibullah was protected by the UN until his execution in 1996 by the Taliban.
Additional source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/27/father-killed-taliban-us-ignored-pleas-daughter-afghan-president

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After the end of the communist government, small, independent mujahideen groups and local warlords fought to consolidate their power. The two emerging powers were the Northern Alliance and the Taliban. The Taliban was made up of members of the Pashtun tribe and supported by Pakistan due to its Islamic fundamentalist values. The Northern Alliance, led by Ahmad Shah Massoud was made up of other tribes and it was supported by India, Iran, and Russia which were concerned about the security threat posed by the Taliban. The Taliban was gaining ground.

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On September 11, 2001, the terrorist group al Qaeda attacked the United States by hijacking planes and crashing them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and attempting to attack the Capitol. Al Qaeda was sheltered by the Taliban in Afghanistan because they helped the Taliban fight against the Northern Alliance. From its Afghan safe haven, al Qaeda operated a global terrorist network that staged several attacks against the United States.

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2001-2021: United States Involvement in Afghanistan

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2001-2021: United States Involvement in Afghanistan

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The United States invaded Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 attacks to support the Northern Alliance in its fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda. The United States was initially successful in pushing back the Taliban, but the Taliban staged a successful insurgency which reversed America's progress. The United States and other countries attempted to build a new democratic Afghan government. There were also large programs to build infrastructure to help the Afghan economy and increase the government's popularity. These efforts had limited success due to corruption within the Afghan government. The 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attacks accomplished one of the United States's most important goals. President Donald Trump initiated an American withdrawal from Afghanistan due to his nationalist policies. Joe Biden continued the withdrawal plan, despite the military leadership's protest, due to the war's public unpopularity.

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2021: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

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2021: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

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The government of Afghanistan collapsed and its leaders fled before the United States could even finish its troop withdrawal. The Taliban quickly took over in the power vacuum left behind by the weak and corrupt government. After the Taliban had captured the most significant Afghan cities, they proclaimed the creation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. It is not widely internationally recognized as a legitimate government. ISIS-K, a terrorist group affiliated with ISIS, has been staging attacks in Afghan cities. The United States and the Taliban government have been working together to crack down on ISIS-K. The return of the Taliban government has made national policies much more conservative and theocratic in severe contrast with the liberal policies of the United States-backed government.