Afghanistan, A country sinking into its dark past - A Timeline

The Gateway between Asia and Europe, the part of the land now considered as Afghanistan has a long history of invasions and domination by foreign powers.

An old map showing India and Afghanistan

The domination of the region started as early as 500 B.C when Darius I of Babylonia conquered the land. Later in 328 B.C, Alexander the Great invaded Afghanistan. Moving forward in time, during the 11th century, Mahmud Ghazni created a large empire spanning from Iran to India. And during the 13th century Genghis Khan took over the territory.

The unification of the land to form the Afghanistan we know of today, happened much later in the 1700's. And by the end of the 19th century, Afghanistan had already been invaded by multiple Arab conquerors, leading to the rise of Islam in the country. During the 19th century, Britain, in its attempt to protect their Indian empire from Russia, attempted to annex Afghanistan with India, resulting in a series of British-Afghan Wars from 1838 to 1921.

But, in 1921 the British, who were already weakened after World War I, were defeated by the Afghans and Afghanistan became an Independent Nation.

Amir Amanullah Khan, declares Afghanistan a monarchy and makes himself the king. He started implementing a deep socio economic reform in the country. He launched plans to modernize the country and reduce the power of the National Council. But he was soon faced with criticism across the country causing an armed rebellion which led to him escaping the country by 1929.

After Amanullah Khan, Zahir Shah took over the throne, his rule was rather stable allowing him to continue in the position for the next 40 years. In 1947 Britain withdrew from India, creating the predominantly Hindu but secular state of India and the Islamic state of Pakistan.

Changes started to form in Afghanistan after the pro-Soviet General Mohammed Daoud Khan, cousin of the king, became prime minister in 1953. He looked up to the communist nation for assistance, which the Soviet Union agreed to and they became Close allies. Daoud Khan introduced various social reforms in the country allowing more freedom and public presence for women. The reforms included allowing women to attend university and enter the workforce. Women were now enjoying freedom comparable to any western or developed nation in areas of education, employment and even clothing.

Women in Afghanistan during the 1970's

In 1973, Khan and his People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (Afghanistan's Communist Party) overthrows Mohammed Zahir Shah and abolishes Monarchy. Khan declares the country a Republic and names himself the president.

During 1975 to 1977, Khan proposed a new constitution for Afghanistan that gave women even more rights and modernized the nation. But, internal issues lead to the killing of Khan in a communist coup led by opposing communist factions.

Nur Mohammad Taraki, one of the founding members of the Afghan Communist Party, takes control of the country as president, and Babrak Karmal, the other founding member is named deputy prime minister. They proclaim Afghanistan's independence from Soviet influence, and declare that their policies will be based on Islamic principles, Afghan nationalism and socioeconomic justice. There were still internal struggles brewing within the factions of the communist party.

Conservative Islamic and ethnic leaders who were against the social changes introduced by Khan began an armed revolt in the countryside. And in June, the guerrilla movement named Mujahudeen was created to battle the Soviet-backed government.

Members of the Mujjahudeen

American Ambassador Adolph Dubs is killed following which the United States cuts off assistance to Afghanistan. A power struggle between Taraki and Deputy Prime Minister Hafizullah Amin begins which ends with Taraki being killed on Sept. 14 in a confrontation with Amin supporters.

Following that, the USSR invades Afghanistan on Dec. 24 to bolster the faltering communist regime. On Dec. 27, Amin and many of his followers were executed and Deputy Prime Minister Babrak Karmal became Prime Minister.

But there was a strong and widespread opposition against Karmal and the Soviets which erupted into violent public demonstrations. And by the early 1980’s, Mujahudeen rebels had already created a united force against the Soviet rulers and USSR backed Afghan army.

More than 4 million Afghans were displaced during the war between these two powers, about 2.8 million fleeing to Pakistan while another 1.5 million people fled to Iran. The Mujahudeen gained control over rural areas leaving only the urban areas to the Soviets. And then came the visit of one of the most infamous men in History. Osama Bin Laden made his first documented trip to Afghanistan in 1984 to aid the anti Soviet fighters.

Osama Bin Laden

How does a rural and local guerilla group get their weapons? Well, from the countries that profit from violence. The United States, Britain and China provided weapons to the Mujahudeen with the help of Pakistan.

On September 1988 Osama Bin Laden and 15 other Islamists formed the group Al-Qaida to wage Jihad against Soviets and to achieve their goal of a pure Islam nation. While their major aim was eliminating the Soviet power in Afghanistan, they also focused on the US, whom they considered to be the last main obstacle for establishing an Islamic State.

By 1989, the United States, Pakistan, Soviet Union and Afghanistan signed a peace accord that guaranteed the withdrawal of the 1,00,000 USSR troops in Afghanistan and declared the country independent.

In 1992, a very familiar scene to today’s happened in Afghanistan. The Mujahudeen and other rebel groups stormed the country’s capital, Kabul, and ousted Dr. Mohammad Najibullah (who was appointed by the soviet state in 1986). The troops that stormed Kabul were led by Ahmad Shah Masood, a legendary Guerrilla leader. The Mujahudeen was already beginning to fracture because of internal fights over the formation of a largely Islamic State.

In 1995, a new Islamic militia was formed, named Taliban. They rise to power by promising peace across the nation. The people of Afghanistan, already exhausted by years of drought, famine and war, approve of the Taliban. The Taliban was also supported for upholding traditional Islamic Values. The Taliban’s rules included - outlawing cultivation of poppies for opium trade, curtailing the education and employment of women. Women were required to fully cover themselves and were not allowed to go outside alone. And Islamic law was enforced via public executions and amputations.

Women under the rule of Taliban

With no improvement in quality of life or peace, more people flee from Afghanistan. Around 1million people fled to Pakistan where they still struggle in rotting refugee camps. Continuing their rule, The Taliban publicly executed Najibullah in 1997. Ethnic groups in the north with support from Masood’s Northern Alliance and in the south aided by Hamid Karzai try to battle against the Taliban for control of the country.

After al-Qaida’s bombs two American embassies in Africa, President Clinton ordered cruise missile attacks against bin Laden’s training camps in Afghanistan. But, the attacks miss the Saudi and other leaders of the terrorist group.

By 2000, the Taliban was providing refuge to Bin Laden, who was declared as an international terrorist by then. Bin Laden was said to be hiding and cultivating followers in Afghanistan.
In 2001, Ignoring international protests, the Taliban also carried out their threat and destroyed the Buddhist statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, saying they are an affront to Islam. Later in 2001, Masood is killed by assassins posing as journalists.

9/11 Terrorist Attack

On September 11, 2001, one of the most memorable terrorist attacks happened. Hijackers crashed four commercial airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The attack is said to be the masterplan of Osama Bin Laden. The United Nations, and US demand the Taliban to extradite Bin Laden, which they decline. Following this, the US and Britain launched airstrikes against the Al Qaeda network in Afghanistan bombing their bases. The Taliban declared that they are ready for Jihad.

Members of The Taliban

After weeks of intense fighting, The Northern Alliance defeats the Taliban and enters Kabul. The Taliban flees to Kandahar. And by December 2001, Taliban surrendered their final territory in Afghanistan. Hamid Karzai, supported by the United States, was appointed as the interim leader till 2004. The newly formed interim council adopts a new constitution following input from nearly 500,000 Afghans. Their new constitution also called for equality of women, restoring the country’s past modern stance.

In the past two decades, Afghanistan had had a fair share of internal problems and political instabilities, international interventions and terrorism induced problems. But the country was following the above mentioned constitution and was working as a democratic Nation. Until a few days ago.

20 years after the Afghan adopted their new constitution, the country has once again fallen into the hands of the Taliban, an organisation that is a hardcore islamist outfit who believe that women deserve no rights or freedom. Public executions and amputations will be a form of punishment and anyone who talks against them will be executed. Remember journalist Danish Siddiqui? If you still support Taliban or such outfits, now is the time to rethink. 

 

We all should learn the history and the present situation of Afghanistan. There is blatant violations of all types of human rights, women and children are living a life in hell. No smartphones, no TV or internet because all that's against the rules of the religion. A country full of people who live in fear. Trying their best to flee the country, its either get out or death for them. And the worst part? Everyone of us turning a blind eye towards them. This is when we should be vocal, let the world leaders and organisations listen. They too are humans, they too need to live.

#SAVEAFGHANISTAN
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