by Ahmed Rashid
17 December. UN Security Council condemns foreign arms supplies to Afghan factions, calls for cease-fire.
1998
6 January. President Rabbani visits Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan to gather support for regional conference on Afghanistan under UN. Taliban accused of massacring 600 Uzbek civilians in Faryab province. Siege of Bamiyan by Taliban worsens as food supplies run out.
7 January. Kofi Annan appeals to Taliban to allow safe delivery of food to Bamiyan.
13 January. Taliban plane crashes near Quetta, SOsoldiers killed. Shoot-out near Kandahar between Taliban and villagers resisting recruitment drive.
27 January. Two hundred and fifty prisoners freed on both sides for Eid.
4 February. Earthquake in north-east Afghanistan. Four thousand dead and 15,000 homeless. Relief agencies hampered by snow.
20 February. Second earthquake hits.
8 March. International Women's day celebrated for Afghan women worldwide.
14 March. Heavy fighting in Mazar between Uzbeks and Hazaras.
22 March. Brahimi returns for mediation between Taliban and opposition.
1 April. Taliban name team to negotiate with opposition for UlemaCommission.
17 April. US envoy Bill Richardson visits Kabul and Mazar.
26 April. UlemaCommission meets in Islamabad under UN auspices.
4 May. UlemaCommission talks collapse.
17 May. Taliban jets bomb Taloquan, 31 people killed, 100 injured. Heavy fighting around Kabul and in north.
30 May. Major earthquake hits north-eastern Afghanistan again, 5,000 dead.
18 June. Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki in Kandahar.
30 June. Taliban demand that NGOs have to move to destroyed polytechnic building. NGOs refuse to move.
3 July. Five-nation Central Asian summit in Almaty calls for end to Afghan war.
9 July. UN plane rocketed at Kabul airport. Omar issues edicts on scrapping TV, all Christians to be deported and former communists to be punished. Former communist Afghan Defence Minister murdered in Quetta.
12 July. Taliban capture Maimana, take 800 Uzbek prisoners and capture 100 tanks.
18 July. EU suspends all humanitarian aid to Kabul because of unacceptable restrictions.
20 July. NGOs pull out of Kabul. EU closes its office.
21 July. Two Afghan workers kidnapped and killed in Jalalabad.
31 July. Taliban leaders visit madrassaof Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania, Akora Khattak in Pakistan where they appeal for manpower. Five thousand Pakistanis leave to fight in Afghanistan.
I August. Taliban take Shebarghan, Dostum flees with troops to Hairatan on Uzbekistan border.
7 August. Bomb blasts at US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, Osama Bin Laden held responsible.
8 August. Taliban capture Mazar, kill 11 Iranian diplomats and a journalist. Taliban massacre thousands of Hazaras as thousands more flee Mazar.
10 August. Taloquan falls to Taliban.
II August. Russia warns Pakistan not to help Taliban. Central Asian states on high state of alert.
12 August. Pul-e-Khumri and Hairatan fall to Taliban.
18 August. Ayatollah AH Khomeinei accuses US and Pakistan of using Taliban to plot against Iran. Iran-Taliban tensions escalate. Mullah Omar says Taliban will protect Bin Laden.
20 August. US launches 75 cruise missiles against Jalalabad and Khost camps run by Bin Laden. Twenty-one dead, 30 wounded in attack.
21 August. Taliban condemn US attack and vow to protect Bin Laden. UN military officer killed in Kabul. All foreigners evacuate Afghanistan and also Peshawar and Quetta.
26 August. New York Grand Jury hands over a sealed indictment against Bin Laden accusing him of terrorism.
1 September. Iran begins war-games on Afghan border with troops.
6 September. Danger of war grows as Iran says it has right under international law to protect its citizens. USA advises restraint. Taliban again appeal to UN for recognition.
10 September. Taliban say they have found the bodies of nine Iranian diplomats in Mazar.
13 September. Bamiyan falls to Taliban after fighting. Omar asks troops to restrain themselves.
20 September. Heavy rocketing of Kabul by Masud, 66 killed and 215 wounded.
22 September. Saudi Arabia expels Taliban envoy and expresses anger at Taliban refusal to hand over Bin Laden following Prince Turki's visit to Kandahar.
27 September. Taliban have 30,000 troops on Iran border to resist Iranian exercises.
2 October. Iran gunships and planes violate Herat airspace. Iranian army exercises begin with 200,000troops.
14 October. Lakhdar Brahimi holds talks with Mullah Omar in Kandahar in Omar's first meeting with a foreign diplomat. Taliban agree to free all Iranian prisoners.
21 October. Feminist Majority Foundation in USA representing 129 women's organizations calls for increased economic and social pressure on Taliban. Mavis Leno, wife of Jay Leno, gives US$100,000 dollars for campaign against the Taliban's gender policy.
23 October. Masud undertakes successful offensive in north-east and enters Kunduz province. Taliban arrest 60of General Tanai's supporters in coup attempt in Jalalabad.
25 October. Taliban ban use of landmines. Masud takes Imam Saheb on Tajikistan border.
7 November. UN says Taliban responsible for killing 4,000 people earlier in Mazar. Omar accuses UN of bias and says 3,500 Taliban killed. Omar again rejects broad-based government.
13 November. Mohammed Akbari, leader of faction of Hizb-e-Wahadat surrenders to Taliban in Bamiyan.
23 November. UNESCO chief Frederico Mayor urges world to stop human rights abuses by Taliban.
1 December. Taliban shoot students outside Jalalabad University, four dead, six injured.
9 December. UN General Assembly passes tough Resolution on Afghanistan.
29 December. UNICEF says education in Afghanistan has collapsed.
1999
1 January. First Chinese delegation arrives in Kandahar to meet Taliban officials.
10 January. Taliban reject new Peace and National Unity Party formed in Peshawar and say only military solution acceptable. Masud offensive continues in north.
12 January. Family of leading former Mujaheddin commander Abdul Haq gunned down in Peshawar.
19 January. Taliban cut off limbs of six highway robbers in Kabul and hang limbs on trees in the city.
21 January. UN Security Council again calls for cease-fire after briefing by Lakhdar Brahimi.
31 January. First Chinese delegation arrives in Kabul to meet Taliban.
2 February. Iranian officials meet Taliban in Dubai. US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott meets with Taliban in Islamabad. He hands over letter to Taliban demanding they extradite Osama Bin Laden.
9 February. Taliban reject US letters and say Bin Laden will not be forced out but they will impose restrictions on him.
11 February. Earthquake in Maiden Shahr in Logar kills 50 people and injures 200.
13 February. Bin Laden goes underground. Taliban say they do not know his whereabouts. Masud visits Tehran for talks.
15 February. Ten-year anniversary of Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.
21 February. UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi arrives in Islamabad after meeting King Fahd in Riyadh.
28 February. Anti-Taliban alliance say they will form a leadership council and a 150-man parliament.
3 March. Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister Sheikhmuradov meets with Mullah Omar for the first time in Kandahar.
4 March. Hillary Clinton criticizes Taliban's gender policy.
11 March. UN sponsored talks in Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan start between Taliban and opposition. Talks later fail.
14 March. Talks end on hopeful note with both sides agreeing to release some prisoners; structure of government to be decided in later talks.
24 March. Lakhdar Brahimi meets with Mullah Omar in Kandahar.
30 March. Next round of Ashkhabad talks stalled as both sides criticize
one another.
April-May. Heavy fighting for control of Bamiyan in Hazarajat.
7 April. Russian Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev meets with Masud in Dushanbe as Russia announces it will build new military base in Tajikistan.
10 April. Mullah Omar rules out further talks with opposition. Heavy fighting in and around Bamiyan.
15 April. President Clinton criticizes Taliban's abuse of human rights. Taliban condemn Clinton.
21 April. Bamiyan falls to Hizb-e-Wahadat as Taliban withdraw, dozens killed and dozens more captured.
28 April. Taliban bomb Bamiyan in bid to retake it. Thirty civilians killed.
29 April. Taliban, Pakistan and Turkmenistan sign agreement to revive gas pipeline through Afghanistan and pledge to find new sponsor for project. Hillary Clinton criticizes gender policy of Taliban in Washington.
May. Uprising in Herat against Taliban, 100 civilians killed, 8 civilians put on trial and executed.
5 May. Iran and Uzbekistan issue joint statement in Tashkent to resist any Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
9 May. Bamiyan retaken by Taliban after they launch attacks from north and south.
12 May. Taliban delegation sign agreements with Turkmenistan to buy gas and electricity.
14 May. USA issues first warning to Pakistan not to support the Taliban and says it favours the return of ex-King Zahir Shah.
20 May. Heavy fighting erupts. Masud fires 12 rockets into Kabul, Bagram bombed by Taliban and fighting in the north.
22 May. Taliban crush abortive uprising in Herat, execute eight people in public and kill another 100. Taliban accuse Iran of distributing arms.
28 May. Amnesty International accuse Taliban of killing civilians during their capture of Bamiyan. Mullah Omar holds meeting of several thousand Taliban commanders and mullahs in Kandahar for three days to discuss the movement's future.
2 June. Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Aziz Kamilov meets with Mullah Omar. Taliban insist that they will only attend next Six plus Two conference in Tashkent if recognized as government of Afghanistan.
8 June. US FBI places Osama Bin Laden on top of most wanted list and offers US 5 million dollars reward for his capture.
26 June. Ex-King Zahir Shah holds consultative meeting in Rome, but Taliban reject any peace-making role for him. USA closes seven embassies in Africa for three days because of Bin Laden threats.
6 July. US imposes trade and economic boycott on Taliban for refusing to hand over Bin Laden. Taliban prepare for massive summer offensive against Masud as thousands of Pakistani and hundreds of Arab recruits join Taliban.
15 July. Former Senator Abdul Ahad Karzai, a leading Afghan nationalist, murdered in Quetta after meeting with Zahir Shah. The US State Department and the UN condemn the murder.
16 July. The Foreign Ministers of Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan meet in Tashkent and pledge co-operation in combating Islamic extremism in Central Asia.
19 July. Six plus Two group of countries meet in Tashkent, meeting attended by Taliban who remain determined to start offensive. President Islam Karimov calls for cease-fire and UN session on Afghanistan.
20 July. Tashkent talks without firm conclusions.
23 July. Masud in Tashkent and meets President Karimov.
27 July. UN planes stop flying to Kabul as rockets fired by Masud hit airport. Taliban offensive imminent.
28 July. Taliban summer offensive begins, heavy fighting.
1 August. Bagram falls to Taliban, but heavy fighting as Masud tries to recapture it.
2 August. Taliban capture Charikar as Masud retreats to Panjshir. 200,000people flee the Shomali valley creating new refugee crisis.
3 August. Taliban advance in north from Kunduz and take Imam Sahib and Sher Khan Bandar, cutting Masud's supply links to Tajikistan. 3000 casualties in fighting so far.
5 August. Masud launches counter-offensive and retakes all lost territory around Kabul. More than 2,000 Taliban casualties.
8 August. Masud recaptures lost ground in the north.
10 August. Washington freezes assets of Taliban airline Ariana in the USA because of its links to Bin Laden.
13 August. Taliban retake Bagram.
15 August. UN appeals to Taliban not to create more refugees and halt fighting as Taliban pursue scorched-earth policy in Shomali valley. Thousands arrested in Kabul.
17 August. Pakistan attempts mediation but rejected by Northern Alliance.
24 August. Massive bomb blast in Kandahar outside Mullah Omar's home, killing 40 people including Omar's two step-brothers and six Arabs.
25 August. Massive truck bomb explodes outside Mullah Omar's house in Kandahar killing 10, wounding 40 including several of Omar's aides and relatives.
5 September. Heavy fighting as both sides launch renewed offensives in north and around Kabul.
10 September. UNDCP says Afghanistan's opium production doubles to 4600 tons in 1999. Ninety-seven per cent of cultivation under Taliban control. 20 September. Russia says Afghanistan-based Afghans, Pakistanis and Arabs fighting in Dagestan and Chechnya.
25 September. Taliban advance towards Taloquan, capital of Northern Alliance. Heavy fighting.
27 September. UN criticizes outside support for Afghan factions. Taliban recapture Imam Sahib.
29 September. Northern Alliance shoot down Taliban SU-22 fighter over Taloquan as fighting intensifies.
4 October. Pakistan's ISI chief visits Kandahar and demands extradition of Pakistani terrorists from Afghanistan. Mullah Omar agrees to co-operate.
12 October. Military coup in Pakistan overthrows government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
15 October. US Security Council imposes limited sanctions on Taliban.
2000
16 January. Chechen breakaway Republic recognized by Taliban and opens embassy in Kabul.
18 January. Spanish diplomat Francesc Vendrell appointed as the new UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Afghanistan.
6 February. Internal flight of Ariana hijacked to London and hijackers demand political asylum.
27 March. Former Governor of Herat Ismail Khan escapes from Taliban jail in Kandahar and arrives in Iran.
April. Severe drought grips Afghanistan and Taliban appeal for international help.
1 July. Taliban begin summer offensive.
10 July. Taliban order all foreign relief organizations to sack their Afghan female staff. Bomb blasts in Pakistan embassy in Kabul.
28 July. Taliban launch attack in the north against Masud's forces.
1 August. Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan launches attacks in Central Asia from bases in Afghanistan. Mullah Omar bans poppy cultivation.
2001
8 January. After capturing Yakowlang, Taliban massacre 210 civilians.
19 January. UN Security Council passes Resolution 1333 imposing sanctions and arms embargo against the Taliban only.
26 February. Mullah Omar orders destruction of two ancient giant statues of Buddha in Bamiyan.
1 March. UN says Taliban have enforced ban on poppy cultivation and virtually zero opium production this year.
10 March. Two Buddha statues destroyed by dynamite.
4 April. Ahmad Shah Masud arrives in Europe for tour of capitals.
16 April. Mullah Mohammed Rabbani, Taliban deputy leaders dies of cancer in Pakistan.
22 May. Taliban order all Hindus to wear yellow badges for identity purposes.
1 June. Taliban summer offensive begins.
31 July. UN Security Council passes Resolution 1363 setting up monitoring of sanctions on Taliban.
5 August. Taliban arrest 8 foreigners and 16 Afghans belonging to Christian relief agency on charges of spreading Christianity.
9 September. Ahmad Shah Masud assassinated in northern Afghanistan by two Arab suicide bombers posing as journalists. He is replaced by General Mohammed Fahim.
11 September. Terrorist bombings in New York and Washington prompt US military action against Taliban and Osama Bin Laden.
9 November. Mazar-e-Sharif falls to Northern Alliance.
12 November. Herat falls.
13 November. Kabul falls. Taliban retreat to Kandahar.
25 November. Kunduz falls, Taliban surrender hundreds of prisoners.
26 November. US troops arrive at Kandahar airport.
27 November. Bonn conference starts under UN auspices.
28 November. Uprising in Mazar by Taliban and Al'Qaida prisoners. 600killed in retaliation.
2 December. Bonn agreement concluded with formation of interim government.
7 December. Mullah Omar flees Kandahar and the city falls.
15 December. Siege and bombing of Tora Bora in eastern Afghanistan.
22 December. Oath taking of interim government in Kabul. Hamid Karzai becomes Chairman.
30 December. Interim government agrees to deployment of 4,500 man International Security Assistance Force.
31 December. US bombing kills 100 civilians near Gardez.
2002
2 January. First troops of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from
15 countries arrives in Kabul. Britain leads force.
5 January. Mullah Omar escapes Baghran in Helmand, north of Kandahar on motorbike after talks with Kabul government fail.
8 January. Three Taliban ministers surrender to US forces.
10 January. US flies out first 20 Taliban and Al'Qaida prisoners to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
21 January. Tokyo conference starts, ending with pledges of US 4.5 billion dollars for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
29 January. Hamid Karzai meets with President Bush in Washington.
8 February. Hamid Karzai pays first visit to Pakistan.
14 February. Dr. Abdur Rehman, Minister of Aviation and Tourism killed at Kabul airport.
17 February. Fighting between Tajik and Uzbek warlords breaks out in northern Afghanistan.
24 February. Karzai visits Iran.
9 March. Karzai asks for Truth Commission to be set up in Afghanistan.
18 April. Former King Zahir Shah returns to Afghanistan, making no claim to the throne.
1 May. President Musharraf wins another five years in office in a referendum criticised as unconstitutional and fraught with irregularities.
11-19 June. Loya Jirga elects Hamid Karzai as interim head of state. Karzai also picks members of his administration to serve until 2004.