2004 in Afghanistan
Encyclopedia
January
Thursday, January 1 - Close to half of the loya jirga boycotted a vote on five disputed articles concerning the Proposed Afghan ConstitutionConstitution of Afghanistan
The Constitution of Afghanistan is the supreme law of the state Afghanistan, which serves as the legal framework between the Afghan government and the Afghan citizens...
, promoting Chairman Subghatullah Mujadidi to call for a two-day adjournment to for negotiations. Advisors from the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and the United States were present to help mediate between the two sides. The primary controversy concerned whether to have a strong president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
or a strong parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
.
Friday, January 2 - In Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghan leaders met privately with U.S. and U.N. officials, including U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi
Lakhdar Brahimi
Lakhdar Brahimi is a veteran United Nations envoy and advisor. He retired from his duties at the end of 2005. Brahimi is a member of the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, the first global initiative to focus specifically on the link between exclusion, poverty and law...
and U.S. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
Zalmay Khalilzad
Zalmay Mamozy Khalilzad is a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and president of Khalilzad Associates, an international business consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush...
, to try to end the impasse over the Proposed Afghan Constitution
Constitution of Afghanistan
The Constitution of Afghanistan is the supreme law of the state Afghanistan, which serves as the legal framework between the Afghan government and the Afghan citizens...
.
- Canadian governor general Adrienne ClarksonAdrienne ClarksonAdrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
left Kabul, ending a four-day visit with aid workers and soldiers at Camp JulienCamp JulienCamp Julien was the main base for the Canadian contingent of the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan.The camp was named after Corporal George Patrick Julien, a Canadian soldier who was awarded the Military Medal as a Private, for his actions at Hill 187 in Korea in May 1953...
and Camp WarehouseCamp WarehouseCamp Warehouse is the operations centre for the multinational International Security Assistance Force located 10 kilometers east of Kabul. The camp has soldiers and equipment from dozens of countries. Part of Camp Warehouse is a German-sponsored ISAF military hospital.- External links :* * *...
. - About 60 miles (96.6 km) northeast of KunduzKunduzKunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north...
, several people were detained by U.S. and Afghan troops during a raid of a drug facility, which contained about two tons of drugs and equipment. Once the people were removed a U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
was called in to destroy the laboratory.
Saturday, January 3 - A rocket exploded in Kabul. There were no casualties.
- Near Deh RawoodDeh RawoodDeh Rawood is a town in Deh Rahwod District in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. It is located 400 kilometres southwest of Kabul. Since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan the area has been noted as a remaining Taliban stronghold. The area is rural with mountainous, roadless terrain....
, Uruzgan Province, men attacked a U.S. military convoy that had arrested three relatives of Haji Ghulam Nabi. Two U.S. soldiers were injured.
Sunday, January 4 - The loya jirga adopted the proposed Afghan Constitution
Constitution of Afghanistan
The Constitution of Afghanistan is the supreme law of the state Afghanistan, which serves as the legal framework between the Afghan government and the Afghan citizens...
by way of consensus.
Monday, January 5 - North of Qalat, Zabul Province, men kidnapped an Afghan aid worker who was part of a caravan for Shelter For Life
Shelter For Life
Shelter For Life International is a US based non-profit, non-governmental relief and development organization dedicated to helping severely affected people displaced or made homeless by war, conflict or natural disaster...
. Two local people were shot and injured when they tried to stop the militants. Taliban spokesman Mullah Abdul Hakim Latifi claimed responsibility.
- Gunmen threw grenades and opened fire on the United Nations High Commission for Refugees office KandaharKandaharKandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
. - Lakhdar BrahimiLakhdar BrahimiLakhdar Brahimi is a veteran United Nations envoy and advisor. He retired from his duties at the end of 2005. Brahimi is a member of the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, the first global initiative to focus specifically on the link between exclusion, poverty and law...
, the United Nations envoy to Afghanistan stepped down as promised to do once the Constitution of AfghanistanConstitution of AfghanistanThe Constitution of Afghanistan is the supreme law of the state Afghanistan, which serves as the legal framework between the Afghan government and the Afghan citizens...
was approved. Brahimi's position was filled on an interim-basis by his deputy for political affairs, Jean ArnaultJean ArnaultJean Arnault currently serves as United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Georgia and Head of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia . He was appointed to the position by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in July 2006.He has gained much experience in working for...
. - Three soldiers of the Afghan National ArmyAfghan National ArmyThe Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
died and two were wounded in a clashed with forces under the control of the Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
governor. Among the dead was the commander of the army division in Zabul, Shah AlamShah AlamShah Alam is the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighboring Klang District. It is located about west of the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor in 1978...
. - In Teheran, India, IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and Afghanistan signed an agreement to give Indian goods heading for central Asia and Afghanistan similar preferential treatment and tariff reductions at ChabaharChabaharChah Bahar is a city in and capital of Chah Bahar County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. Chah Bahar is a free port on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. At the 2006 census, its population was 71,070, in 13,837 families...
.
Tuesday, January 6 - In Kandahar, at least sixteen people were killed (six of which were children) and 58 people were wounded when a time bomb hidden in an apple cart exploded 100 yards (91.4 m) away from an Afghan military base. The crowd had gathered to investigate another bomb that had gone off 15 minutes earlier and injured a small child. A suspect was caught trying to hide in a nearby home. The blasts occurred moments before a motorcade was about to pass.
- In Afghanistan, a minibusMinibusA minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
on its way from Uruzgan to HelmandHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
was ambushed by gunmen, leaving twelve Hazara passengers dead. - In a report issued to the United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
, United Nations Secretary General Kofi AnnanKofi AnnanKofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
warned that violence in Afghanistan could disrupt the timing of elections scheduled for June and noted that south and south-east Afghanistan was mostly off-limits to the United Nations, NGONon-governmental organizationA non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s and Afghan officials. He called for another political and donor conference to address these concerns. - A grenade was thrown at the Core office in Kandahar.
- Speaking to the media via satellite telephone, senior Taliban commander Mullah Sabir Momin apologized for the bomb attack in Kandahar the previous day that killed fifteen, including many children. Momin said the intended target was the U.S. Provincial Reconstruction TeamProvincial reconstruction teamA Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...
office in Kandahar. - U.S. and Afghan National Army forces launched an operation in Spin BoldakSpin BoldakSpin Boldak or Spin Buldak is a border town in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, right next to the Durand Line border with Pakistan. It is linked by a highway with the city of Kandahar to the north, and with Chaman and Quetta in Pakistan to the south. Spin Boldak has the second major...
with the goal of arresting Taliban leaders, particularly fugitive commander Mullah Akhter Mohammad. - Fourteen tons of aid from Canadian donors was distributed by Canadian soldiers to widows and orphans in Kabul. The donations included winter clothing, blankets, toys, chewing gum, school supplies and diapers. Care Canada also distributed to each family, through funding from the Canadian International Development AgencyCanadian International Development AgencyThe Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...
, enough to help feed seven people for up to a month. - In Afghanistan, a bomb found hidden under straw near a downtown Kandahar bus station was defused.
- Gunfire was exchanged on the streets of Kandahar, prompting U.S. soldiers to move in.
Thursday, January 8 - In Kandahar, two Afghan National Army soldiers were wounded (one losing a leg) by a bomb that exploded on the roof of a building less than an eighth of a mile from the January 6 incident that killed over a dozen people.
- In Afghanistan, Kandahar police arrested six people in possession of documents that linked them to the Taliban. A confession also linked the men to the bomb planted the day before in the bus station.
- In JalalabadJalalabadJalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
, Afghan and U.S. officials held a ceremony opening a new U.S. Provincial Reconstruction TeamProvincial reconstruction teamA Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...
. - United Nations spokesman Manuel de Almeida de Silva stated that, to date, only 274,000 (2.7%) of the 10 million Afghans eligible to vote have been registered.
- Pakistan launched a military operation utilizing helicopter gunships and ground troops against suspected al-QaedaAl-QaedaAl-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
cells in the area of South WaziristanSouth WaziristanSouth Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
, which borders Afghanistan. - Afghan authorities in Kabul arrested eleven people suspected of involvement with a December 28, 2003 suicide bombing near the airport.
- Protesting against the decision by the United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUnited Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesThe Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
to reject their refugee claims, seven Afghan asylum-seekers (including three women) on IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
's Lombok island began a hunger strikeHunger strikeA hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
by sewing up their mouths. - In Mazari Sharif, local police removed a bomb from a ditch near a United Nations office.
Friday, January 9 - A rocket hit an army camp in Wana (Pakistan), South Waziristan
South Waziristan
South Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
, Pakistan, killing four Pakistani soldiers.
Saturday, January 10 - Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
announced that he would be a candidate for the election to be held in June.
- A U.S. soldier died from complications caused by a vehicle accident southwest of Kabul a day earlier.
Sunday, January 11 - Five Afghan National Army soldiers died and three others were injured when they came under attack in Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
.
- In Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, four men were killed as they planted a land mineLand mineA land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
on a road regularly used by military patrols. - A rocket was fired at the KhostKhostKhost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
airport in Afghanistan, which was used by U.S. troops, but it failed to explode. - In Mazari Sharif, a guard and an employee were injured when a bomb exploded in front of the office of the Agency for Technical Cooperation and DevelopmentAgency for Technical Cooperation and DevelopmentThe Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development is a non governmental organization. Privately owned, non political and non profit, ACTED was set up in 1993...
. - Pakistan freed about 150 Afghan prisoners being held for violating immigration laws.
Monday, January 12 - The Afghan National Field Hockey Team arrived in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Pakistan to play six matches over ten days.
- In Nimroz Province, dozens of men armed with assault rifles attacked a police checkpoint, killing four policemen.
- An agreement was signed by ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
and the Afghan the Ministry of Defense to begin the demobilization of heavy weapons from Kabul. - Pakistan prime minister Zafarullah Jamali met with interim Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul to discuss economic links and terrorismTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
. - Three videos featuring women were shown on Kabul TV. One of the clips included old footage of Salma singing a ballad; another was a religious song in UrduUrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
to honor the visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan JamaliZafarullah Khan JamaliMir Zafarullah Khan Jamali was the 13th Prime Minister of Pakistan and former Chairman of the Pakistan Hockey Federation.-Early life:Born in Baluchistan, Jamali was the second Baluch Prime Minister of Pakistan...
.
Tuesday, January 13 - Afghanistan released 100 Pakistani prisoners to reciprocate a similar gesture by Pakistan only days earlier. The prisoners had been suspected of fighting for the Taliban.
- Tribal elders in South WaziristanSouth WaziristanSouth Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
, Pakistan handed over to authorities three men wanted for sheltering Al-Qaeda and Taliban fugitives.
Wednesday, January 14 - About a dozen rockets were fired at the U.S. base near the Khost
Khost
Khost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
airport in Afghanistan. There were no casualties.
- A ban on women singing or dancing on television in Afghanistan was re-established only days after the ban had been lifted. The Supreme Court of Afghanistan wrote to the Information and Culture Minister, Sayyid Makhdum Rahin, to protest January 12 airing. The court stated that women singing or dancing was in defiance of Islamic law.
- In KhostKhostKhost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
, U.S. forces uncovered a cache of weapons that included grenades, mortar rounds, mines and rifles. - U.S. troops near GhazniGhazniFor the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
discovered two tanks, two anti-aircraft guns.
Thursday, January 15 - Outgoing U.N. envoy to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi
Lakhdar Brahimi
Lakhdar Brahimi is a veteran United Nations envoy and advisor. He retired from his duties at the end of 2005. Brahimi is a member of the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, the first global initiative to focus specifically on the link between exclusion, poverty and law...
, told the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
that elections scheduled for June were unrealistic because factions and extremists continued to threaten the peace process. Brahimi also criticized the Bonn Agreement
Bonn Agreement
Bonn Agreement could refer to*Bonn Agreement *Bonn Agreement *Bonn Agreement *Bonn Agreement...
s on the grounds that the Taliban had not been present there. He also criticized western feminists protesting the burqa
Burqa
A burqa is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic religion to cover their bodies in public places. The burqa is usually understood to be the woman's loose body-covering , plus the head-covering , plus the face-veil .-Etymology:A speculative and unattested etymology...
. He said women would go further in Afghanistan through education, not changes in dress.
Friday, January 16 - At the request of the United Nations, Chinese police officer Zhang Ming was sent to Afghanistan to help fight drug trafficking.
- In Canada, ten Afghan National Army military officers started 16-weeks of English language training. The program was to develop the officers into English instructors. Sixty-five more officers were slated for training in the program over the next three years.
- An estimated seven rockets were fired at the U.S. air base in KhostKhostKhost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
, but none hit their target.
Saturday, January 17 - Forty rebels ambushed an Afghan convoy in Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, provoking a gun fight that left three rebels and two Afghan National Army soldiers dead.
- In spite of objections by the Afghan Supreme CourtAfghan Supreme CourtStera Mahkama or the Afghan Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Afghanistan. It was created by the Constitution of Afghanistan, which was approved on January 4, 2004...
, Kabul TV aired footage of 1960s female star Ustad Mahwash singing. - German ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
soldiers removed from Kabul International AirportKabul International Airport-Facilities:The airport has two terminal buildings, the modern for international flights and the Soviet built one for domestic flights. Several hangars along the runway are for military aircraft...
wreckage of an Antonov cargo plane left over from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. - Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai argued that the issue of women singing on television should be left to his government.
Monday, January 19 - In a raid on a compound in Kabul, Canadian soldiers arrested 16 men and seized drugs, cash and weapons.
- In Afghanistan, Uruzgan Province governor Jan Mohammad Khan and Charcheno district chief Abdur RahmanAbdur RahmanAbdur Rahman is a male Muslim given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words Abd, al- and Rahman. The name means "servant of the most gracious", ar-Rahman being one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric names.The letter a of the...
claimed that four children and seven adults were killed January 18 by a U.S. air strike on the village of Saghatho. The U.S. military refuted the claims (even as late as February 3) and said that the attack killed five armed men who near a Taliban compound. - Three U.S. soldiers were wounded in an attack on the U.S. base in Deh RawoodDeh RawoodDeh Rawood is a town in Deh Rahwod District in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. It is located 400 kilometres southwest of Kabul. Since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan the area has been noted as a remaining Taliban stronghold. The area is rural with mountainous, roadless terrain....
in Uruzgan Province. One attacker was killed in the gunfight. - U.S. playwright William MastrosimoneWilliam MastrosimoneWilliam Mastrosimone is an American playwright and screenwriter from Trenton, New Jersey. He attended high school at The Pennington School and received a graduate degree in playwrighting from Mason Gross School of the Arts, a part of Rutgers University....
presented a play (The Afghan WomenThe Afghan WomenThe Afghan Women is a play by Emmy Award-winning playwright William Mastrosimone. It was produced by the Passage Theatre Company and premiered in 2003 at the Mill Hill Playhouse in Trenton, New Jersey. The first dozen performances raised US$10,000 for Afghan orphans...
) to a group of actors at the headquarters of the Afghan television company in Kabul. - Ismail KhanIsmail KhanIsmail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
, the governor of Herat ProvinceHerat ProvinceHerat is one the 34 provinces of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces, it makes up the South-western region of the country...
stated at a session of the Afghan Islamic Unification Council his harsh protest against the Afghan women's songs broadcast by Afghan TVAfghan TVAfghan TV is a commercial television station, based in Kabul, Afghanistan since late 21 May 2004. The station is owned by Mr. Afghanzai, an Afghan entrepreneur. It originally broadcasted for 18-hours daily, but has been 24-hours since July 2004.-Programs:...
. He and other lecturers stated they wanted the government to stop the broadcasting of such songs by the TV. Khan ordered the collection of music tapes and video tapes in Herat.
Tuesday, January 20- Pakistan announced there no longer any bans on goods exported to Afghanistan, with the exception of ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
and cooking oil
Cooking oil
Cooking oil is purified fat of plant origin, which is usually liquid at room temperature ....
.
- ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
and Afghan police arrested several top suspects in the Gulbuddin HekmatyarGulbuddin HekmatyarGulbuddin Hekmatyar is an Afghan Mujahideen leader who is the founder and leader of the Hezb-e Islami political party and paramilitary group. Hekmatyar was a rebel military commander during the 1980s Soviet war in Afghanistan and was one of the key figures in the civil war that followed the...
-network.
Thursday, January 22 - 100 Canadian soldiers arrived in Kabul to start a six-month tour of duty.
Friday, January 23 - Iran announced that it would place a dozen jailed al-Qaeda suspects on trial.
- Afghan National Army General Bismillah KhanBismillah Khan (Afghanistan)Bismillah Khan Mohammadi , often known simply as Bismillah Khan, is the Interior Minister of Afghanistan. Among his duties, he is responsible for the securement of the international borders of Afghanistan, as well as maintaining law and order within the country by the Afghan National Police...
arrived in New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India for a three-day official visit with planned meetings with chief of the Indian army staff general NC Vij, air chief S Krishnaswamy and Admiral Madhvendera Singh, Chairman Chiefs of Staff committee.
Saturday, January 24 - In Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais....
, at least four children were wounded by a landmine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
.
- In Nangarhar ProvinceNangarhar ProvinceNangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais....
, rockets hit a governmental building, causing some damages but no injuries. - The Faroe IslandsFaroe IslandsThe Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
, Hope for Humanity, HELP InternationalHELP InternationalHELP International is a charitable organization that works with government, charities, churches, and other community and business groups to identify economic, environmental and social problems and develop solutions that will have a significant and long lasting impact. The head office is located on...
, and the Adventist Development and Relief AgencyAdventist Development and Relief AgencyThe Adventist Development and Relief Agency International is a humanitarian agency operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the purpose of providing individual and community development and disaster relief...
completed an education project in Jowzjan ProvinceJowzjan ProvinceJowzjān or Jōzjān or Jawzjan is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Sheberghan.- Demographics :...
that rehabilitated the Oramast Elementary School, the Mirwaismina School and the Jowzjan Orphanage. The six-month effort provided the schools with wooden desks and chairs, glass for windows, sports equipment kit, playground equipment and a water wells. HygieneHygieneHygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
and sanitationSanitationSanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...
curriculum was also introduced.
Sunday, January 25 - Responding to rocket attacks on its air base in the region, U.S. planes bombed several areas in the Narang district, Kunar Province
Kunar Province
Kunar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces...
.
- Near the Afghan border town of ChamanChamanChaman is the capital of Qilla Abdullah District, Balochistan, Pakistan. It is situated just south of the border with Afghanistan. Across the border in Afghanistan is the neighbouring town of Spin Boldak, in Kandahar Province...
, Pakistani forces arrested Maulvi Abdul Mannan Khawajazai, who ran the Taliban finances and was once the governor of the western Badghis ProvinceBadghis ProvinceBādghīs is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in northwestern Afghanistan, between the Murghab and Hari rivers, extending as far northward as the edge of the desert of Sarakhs. It includes the Chul formations through which the Turkmen-Afghan boundary runs...
.
Monday, January 26 - With assistance from UNICEF and the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, the Afghan Ministry of Health
Afghan Ministry of Health
Afghan Ministry of Public Health is the ministry of the government of Afghanistan which deals with matters concerning the health of Afghanistan's population. This body has large funds at its disposal to train, educate and cure. Following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan the Ministry of Health,...
began a three-day vaccination program intended to reach about five million children aged five and under in Afghanistan.
- In a ceremony in Kabul, interim president Hamid Karzai officially signed the Constitution of AfghanistanConstitution of AfghanistanThe Constitution of Afghanistan is the supreme law of the state Afghanistan, which serves as the legal framework between the Afghan government and the Afghan citizens...
.
Tuesday, January 27 - A Canadian soldier, Jamie Brendan Murphy, and one Afghan civilian were killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul. Three others soldiers and nine bystanders were injured.
- Afghan higher education minister Mohammed Sharif Fayez announced that more than 6,000 people who passed a matriculation exam January 26 had to retake their exams after it was discovered that questions had been sold around the country.
Wednesday, January 28 - A British soldier was killed and another four were wounded by a car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
in Kabul. Mullah Hakim Latifi of the Taliban claimed responsibility.
- Near the German base outside Kabul, five foreigners were injured by a suicide bomber. Mullah Hakim Latifi of the Taliban claimed responsibility.
- In Kabul, a group of Loya jirga2003 Loya jirgaA 502-delegate loya jirga convened in Kabul, Afghanistan, on December 14, 2003, to consider the proposed Afghan Constitution. Originally planned to last ten days, the assembly did not endorse the charter until January 4, 2004. As has been generally the case with these assemblies, the endorsement...
delegates led by Abdul Hafiz MansoorAbdul Hafiz MansoorAbdul Hafiz Mansoor was born in 1963 in the Panjsher Valley of Afghanistan. He is a member of the Jamiat-e Islami. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, Mansoor served as the first director of state radio and television in Afghanistan...
made claims that the version of the Constitution of AfghanistanConstitution of AfghanistanThe Constitution of Afghanistan is the supreme law of the state Afghanistan, which serves as the legal framework between the Afghan government and the Afghan citizens...
signed by Hamid Karzai on January 26 contained more than fifteen changes from the document approved of on January 4. The group sent a copy of their complaints to the U.S. embassy, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and former king Mohammad Zahir Shah.
Thursday, January 29 - Eight U.S. soldiers were killed and at least three were wounded when an explosion occurred at a weapons storage area near Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
. The explosion may have been caused by a booby-trap.
- Pakistani authorities seized 1600 kg of heroin at the border town of Kili Ali Akbar, but made no arrests.
- Asadullah Abdul RahmanAsadullah Abdul RahmanAsad Ullah is a young Afghani formally held at Camp Iguana in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Ullah and his friends and supporters claim that he was twelve years old when he was arrested by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. The military, however, believe him to have been around fifteen years old. Asad was...
, Muhammad Ismail AghaMuhammad Ismail AghaMuhammad Ismail Agha is an Afghan national who at age 13 was arrested by Afghan militia soldiers, who transferred him to U.S. forces in December 2002....
and a third child (ages 13 to 15) were released by U.S. officials from Camp X-RayCamp X-RayCamp X-Ray was a temporary detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp of Joint Task Force Guantanamo on the U.S. Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.The first twenty detainees arrived at Guantanamo on January 11, 2002....
in Guantánamo Bay, CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and returned to Afghanistan. - A bipartisan delegation from the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
visited with interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai in Kabul. Delegates included Curt WeldonCurt WeldonWayne Curtis "Curt" Weldon is an American politician. He served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2007, representing the 7th district of Pennsylvania. He was defeated in November 2006 for reelection by Joe Sestak. Weldon was vice-chair of the Armed...
, Rodney AlexanderRodney AlexanderRodney McKinnie Alexander is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district covers twenty-two parishes in roughly the northeast quadrant of the state...
, and Mark SouderMark SouderMark Edward Souder is an American Republican politician who was a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1995 to 2010.During the 1980s and early 1990s, he worked as a congressional aide to Dan Coats and committee staff director. He was elected to his congressional seat in 1994...
.
Saturday, January 31 - In Deh Rawood
Deh Rawood
Deh Rawood is a town in Deh Rahwod District in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. It is located 400 kilometres southwest of Kabul. Since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan the area has been noted as a remaining Taliban stronghold. The area is rural with mountainous, roadless terrain....
, a remote-controlled bomb destroyed a vehicle, killing Mayor Khalif Sadaht and seven of his relatives.
February
Sunday, February 1 - Afghan families began celebrating Eid al-Adha. In Kabul, former king Mohammad Zaher Shah and interim president Hamid Karzai joined for prayers at the downtown palace.- A report by the International Organization for MigrationInternational Organization for MigrationThe International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
revealed that human traffickingHuman traffickingHuman trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
in Afghanistan had increased by an alarming amount.
Monday, February 2 - U.S. president George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
submitted a 2005 budget proposal to the U.S. Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
which contained US$1.2 billion in assistance for Afghanistan focusing on education, health, infrastructure and assistance to the Afghan National Army. The budget did not contain funding estimates for U.S. military operations.
- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization requesting US$25.5 million to finance agricultural development projects over the next five years in Afghanistan's four main poppy producing provinces -- Badakhshan ProvinceBadakhshan ProvinceBadakhshan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 28 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.-Geography:...
, Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
and Nangarhar ProvinceNangarhar ProvinceNangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais....
.
Tuesday, February 3 - Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai appointed Mohammad Yusuf as governor of Farah Province
Farah Province
Farah is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Farah. Farah is a spacious and sparsely populated province that lies on the Iranian border...
, and Azizullah Afzali as governor of Baghdis province. Karzai also named new police chiefs in five northern and central provinces. Gul Nabi Ahmadzai was appointed chief of training for the Afghan National Army.
- Two rockets were fired on Kabul. The first rocket struck a cemetery surrounded by houses and the second landed on a steep hillside nearby.
- Former Afghan king Mohammad Zaher Shah was flown from Kabul to New Delhi, India for medical treatment. He was diagnosed with a minor blockage of his intestines and in stable condition.
- At a border crossing, renegade warlord Bacha Khan Zadran and his brother Amanullah Khan Zadran were handed over from Pakistani to Afghan officials.
Wednesday, February 4 Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai fired Mohammad Aref Sarwari, the head of national security.
- At an economic conference in New Delhi, India, Afghan deputy Agriculture Minister Mohammad SharifMohammad SharifMohammed Sharif, born in 1933 in Nepal, was the head of the Youth Unit, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs at the United Nations from 1979–1987 and then became in charge of 3 sections: disability, ageing and youth sections...
met with IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i deputy minister of Industry and Trade Mikhael Ratzon, requested assistance in technological innovations for agriculture and invite a team of Israeli experts to visit Afghanistan.
Thursday, February 5 - Police arrested the owner of a taxi used in a suicide bombing that killed a British soldier in Kabul on January 28.
- Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai said that tribal leaders would decide the fate of Bacha Khan Zadran.
- Near Orgo in Badakhshan ProvinceBadakhshan ProvinceBadakhshan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 28 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.-Geography:...
, an estimated 20 people were killed when fighting broke out between forces loyal to Orgo mayor Musadeq and a local militia commander Qari ZiauddinQari ZiauddinQari Ziauddin is a local militia leader in Afghanistan's Badakhshan Province, the province in the extreme Northeast.According to Pakistan's Daily Times Qari Ziauddin and five of his men were captured on February 12, 2004 following a gun-battle over the drug trade.Police commander General Sayed...
. Hundreds of civilians left their homes. Provincial officials sent hundreds of soldiers to the area to try to quell the conflict. A delegation was sent also from Kabul.
Friday, February 6 - The Indian company Mahindra Defence Systems announced that it would provided 80 SUVs and 40 jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
s to the Afghan National Army over the next six months.
Saturday, February 7 - The Afghan Disarmament, Demobilisation and Re-Integration Program, headed by Milos Krsmanovic, launched a disarmament program in northern Afghanistan aimed at disarming some 2,000 militiamen under the command of generals Abdul Rashid Dostam and Atta Muhammad.
Sunday, February 8 - Over 200 Afghan delegates gathered in Kabul for the International Conference on Counter-Narcotics in Afghanistan to discuss law enforcement, alternative livelihoods for poppy farmers and demand reduction. Keynote speakers included executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
Antonio Maria Costa
Antonio Maria Costa
Antonio Maria Costa was an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, appointed, from May 2002 until August 2010, to the positions of Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Director-General of the United Nations Office in Vienna .-Background:An Italian native,...
, interim president Hamid Karzai and the United Kingdom's foreign office minister Bill Rammell
Bill Rammell
William Ernest Rammell is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Harlow from 1997 to 2010, and has served as the Minister of State for the Armed Forces at the Ministry of Defence...
.
Monday, February 9 - Under tight security, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Jakob Gijsbert "Jaap" de Hoop Scheffer is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as the 11th Secretary General of NATO from January 5, 2004 until August 1, 2009....
visited Kabul and met with Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai.
Tuesday, February 10 - In Afghanistan, the Kabul Primary Court sentenced to death two former Taliban officials, Zia Ahmad and Abdul Nab, for the murder of aid-worker Bettina Goislard
Bettina Goislard
Bettina Goislard was a French employee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , assigned to its mission in Afghanistan...
November 16, 2003. The trial took three hours and the judgment took twenty minutes. No witnesses to the crime were present at the trial. The men planned to appeal the decision.
- A remote-controlled bomb exploded on a road near AsadabadAsadabadAsadabad may refer to:* Asadabad, Afghanistan, capital of Kunar Province* Asadabad District, district of Kunar Province, Afghanistan* Asadabad, Jalilabad, Azerbaijan* Əsədabad, Azerbaijan* Asadabad, Iran, in Hamadan Province...
, as the vehicle of Kunar ProvinceKunar ProvinceKunar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces...
governor Sayed Fazel Akbar was passing. The vehicle sustained minor damage, but no one was injured.
Wednesday, February 11 - In Khost
Khost
Khost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
, Major Mohammed Isa Khan, the deputy intelligence director of Khost Province
Khost Province
Khost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
, was assassinated in his car by gunman Hafez Elal. Elal tried to escape but was chased down by bodyguards. To avoid capture, he detonated explosives strapped to his body. Taliban spokesman Mohammed Saiful Adel claimed responsibility.
- East of Kabul, United Kingdom British troops found a bomb made with a modified anti-tank mine.
Thursday, February 12 - Addressing the National Defence College in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, Pakistan, president Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
admitted that some anti-government activity in Afghanistan was coming from within the Pakistan border.
- A rocket landed on a residential hillside in the Khair Khana district of Kabul, injuring two children.
- A rocket landed in the Badam Bagh district of Kabul, causing no damage or casualties.
- After losing contact with its controllers, a German unmanned spy plane used by the ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
parachuted to the ground, landing on the roof of a home in Kabul.
Friday, February 13 - One civilian and old soldier were killed and six people were wounded in an explosion at an Afghan National Army military post near Khost
Khost
Khost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
.
- Twenty-one rockets landed near the airport in KhostKhostKhost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
. - The unit of the 2nd infantry brigade of the Macedonian Army arrived in Afghanistan to begin a six-month tour with ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
. - An anti-tank mine exploded under a Humvee northwest of GhazniGhazniFor the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
, killing one U.S. soldier of the 10th Mountain Division and wounding nine others. - In Kandahar, the first women's-only site opened for voter registrationVoter registrationVoter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
.
Saturday, February 14 - Near Bala Buluk in Farah Province
Farah Province
Farah is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Farah. Farah is a spacious and sparsely populated province that lies on the Iranian border...
, four Afghans working for the United Nations de-mining agency were fatally shot in an ambush.
- U.S. special operations forces used helicopters to raid a village in Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
and detained about 40 people. Two were identified as Mulvi Abdul Ghafar and Gul AghaGul AghaGul Agha may refer to:* Gul Agha Sherzai, Governor of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan* Gul Agha , American computer scientist...
, midlevel Taliban leaders.
Sunday, February 15 - A Canadian soldier was shot in the face when his rifle went off in his sleeping quarters at Camp Julien
Camp Julien
Camp Julien was the main base for the Canadian contingent of the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghanistan.The camp was named after Corporal George Patrick Julien, a Canadian soldier who was awarded the Military Medal as a Private, for his actions at Hill 187 in Korea in May 1953...
in Kabul. He survived and was placed in critical condition.
- In GulbaharGulbaharGulbahar or Gul Bahar is one of the neighborhoods of Liaquatabad Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.Gulbahar Colony, which was known as Golimar, is a suburb of Karachi. This area is along the Lyari River and was mainly farmland before the settlement of Muslim refugees after the independence of...
, former members of the Northern Alliance turned over eight multiple rocket launchers, four tanks and three Scud missiles to the Afghan National Army. - With the support of an NGONon-governmental organizationA non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, a driving school for women opened in HeratHeratHerāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
. - Dr. Zinat Karzai, the wife of Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai, registered to vote. She received her voting card from Amina-i-Fidrawi high school in Kabul.
Monday, February 16 - After being open for one day, a driving school in Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
was shut down by local authorities.
Tuesday, February 17 - In Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, men loyal to two senior government officials exchanged gunfire in a bazaar wounding four people.
- Afghan official Abdul Karim Umrani died in his bedroom from carbon monoxide poisoningCarbon monoxide poisoningCarbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
at the consulate in Khorugh, TajikistanTajikistanTajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
. Another official of the consulate, Saidrahim Mahmadrahim, was in serious condition.
Wednesday, February 18 - Taliban leader Mullah Dadullah
Mullah Dadullah
Maulavi or Mullah Dadullah or Dadullah Akhund was the Taliban's senior military commander until his death by U.S and U.K special ops in 2007. He was an ethnic Pashtun from the Kakar tribe of Kalai-Kakaran village in Uruzgan province of Afghanistan...
warned Afghans not to vote in the election scheduled for June.
- European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
External Relations Commissioner Chris PattenChris PattenChristopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC , is the last Governor of British Hong Kong, a former British Conservative politician, and the current chairman of the BBC Trust....
visited Kabul.
Thursday, February 19 - former Afghan king Mohammed Zahir Shah
Mohammed Zahir Shah
Mohammed Zahir Shah was the last King of Afghanistan, reigning for four decades, from 1933 until he was ousted by a coup in 1973...
was released from a hospital in New Delhi, India after two weeks of receiving medical treatment for an intestinal problem. He remained in New Delhi, however, for further observation.
- The United States opened a provincial reconstruction teamProvincial reconstruction teamA Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...
involving some 100 soldiers in AsadabadAsadabadAsadabad may refer to:* Asadabad, Afghanistan, capital of Kunar Province* Asadabad District, district of Kunar Province, Afghanistan* Asadabad, Jalilabad, Azerbaijan* Əsədabad, Azerbaijan* Asadabad, Iran, in Hamadan Province...
. - In Afghanistan, high ranking delegate Mahbooba Hoqooqmal, deputy of the Afghan Ministry of Women AffairsAfghan Ministry of Women AffairsAfghan Ministry of Women's Affairs is a new ministry in the Afghan government which was established in late 2001 by Afghan Transitional Administration....
Dr. Suraya Soobhrang, and delegates of the Afghan Ministry of Justice and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission visited Herat ProvinceHerat ProvinceHerat is one the 34 provinces of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces, it makes up the South-western region of the country...
to investigate a series of women's accidents. It was reported that more than 180 women had burned themselves during the year and only one-third of them survived. - A high commission to prevent children smuggling was set up by the Afghan Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
Sunday, February 22 - Before takeoff, a Louis Berger Group
Louis Berger Group
The Louis Berger Group, based in Morristown, NJ, according to their website:The Louis Berger Group currently ranks as the third largest USAID private sector partner....
helicopter was attacked by gunfire in Thaloqan village in Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, killing the Australian pilot and seriously injuring a U.S. woman. Taliban spokesmen took responsibility.
- Pakistani Interior Minister Faisal Saleh HayatFaisal Saleh HayatMakhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat is a Pakistani politician from Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan. Faisal Saleh Hayat was born in Lahore in 1952 to a landlord Shia Muslim family of Jhang, Punjab.- Education :Faisal Saleh Hayat is also a successful businessman...
confirmed that Pakistani paramilitary troops had been deployed along the borders of PaktiaPaktia ProvincePaktia , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the east of the country. Its capital is Gardez. The population is predominantly Pashtun.- History:...
and Paktika ProvincePaktika ProvincePaktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
s, Afghanistan, with the intent of catching leading commanders of the Afghan resistance, including Osama bin LadenOsama bin LadenOsama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
. - The Afghan Independent Human Rights CommissionAfghan Independent Human Rights CommissionThe Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission is an Afghan organisation dedicated to the preservation of human rights and the investigation of human rights abuses....
announced it was investigating 85 kidnapping cases involving children.
Monday, February 23 - In Thaloqan village in Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, U.S. forces from the 10th Mountain Division assisted hundreds of local police in a search for the gunman who killed an Australian pilot the previous day. Thirty suspected Taliban members were rounded up.
Wednesday, February 25 - Five Afghan employees of Serai Development Foundation were killed and two injured in an ambush northeast of Kabul.
Thursday, February 26 - United States Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
spoke in front of a graduating class of 48 Afghan policemen in Kandahar.
Friday, February 27 - Two hundred-five South Korean medics and military engineers left Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
for Afghanistan to replace existing troops, and to help with reconstruction projects for six months.
- Afghanistan agreed to accept offers of assistance from NATO, the World BankWorld BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, and the International Civil Aviation OrganizationInternational Civil Aviation OrganizationThe International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
to repair and update the Kabul International AirportKabul International Airport-Facilities:The airport has two terminal buildings, the modern for international flights and the Soviet built one for domestic flights. Several hangars along the runway are for military aircraft...
at an estimated to cost of US$50 million. The project will include mine removal, electrical and communications upgrades, terminal renovations and air traffic control facility improvements.
Saturday, February 28 - The United States and Pakistan denied an Iranian radio report that Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
had been captured "a long time ago" in Pakistan's border region with Afghanistan.
- At a roadblock in Zeri Noor, just outside of Wana, Pakistan, Pakistani troops killed 11 Afghan men in a minibusMinibusA minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
that did not stop at the checkpoint. Sixteen Afghans were arrested. Pakistan officials claimed that someone from the minibus fired shots first.
March
Monday, March 1 - During public ceremonies in Kabul, of Shia Muslims commemorating the slaying of their leader Imam al-Husayn, an Afghan National Army cadet shouted abusive language and spat at a banner, prompting the Shia Muslims to throw stones at the soldiers. The cadets then fired into the crowd, killing one and injuring sixteen.Tuesday, March 2 - A voluntary repatriation program for Afghan refugees run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
resumed after a four-month hiatus following the murder of a staff member in November.
- In Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, Afghan forces arrested four Taliban suspects, including commander Mullah Nahim. - 750 policemen from five Afghan provinces began a three-week training course at the Gardez Police Academy to assist in administering a fair election.
- In the tribal South WaziristanSouth WaziristanSouth Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
region of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, over a dozen rockets were launched on Pakistani bunkers and checkpoints. The Pakistani troops were engaged in a hunt for Al-Qaeda members.
Wednesday, March 3 - At a ceremony held in the Chinese embassy in Kabul, Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Sun Yuxi and Afghan Irrigation, Water Resources and Environment Minister Mohammad Yusuf Nooristani signed a contract detailing China's assistance in a major irrigation re-build project near the capital. The project was supposed to be finished in early 2006.
- In a remote border region near Afghanistan, Pakistani authorities detained at least 15 Ahmadzai Wazir tribal leaders for failing to turn over suspected al-Qaeda fugitives. The leaders had agreed to help trace foreigners suspected of terrorismTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
but did not live up to the deal.
Thursday, March 4 - Rebels attacked a border post in Maruf district
Maruf District
Maruf District is a district in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Arghistan District to the west, Zabul Province to the north and Pakistan to the east and south. The population is 29,300 . The district center is the town of Maruf, located in the northern part of the district...
in Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, killing seven members of the Afghan National Army.
- Near KhostKhostKhost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
, fourteen suspected militants were captured during a U.S. air assault on a compound.
Friday, March 5 - U.S.-led forces killed nine rebels in a gun battle in near Orgun
Orgun
-External links:*...
, near the border with Pakistan.
- In the Shah Joy district in Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, a TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
engineer and a local security guard were murdered; a second Turkish worker and another local security guard were kidnapped. The Turkish men were working on a project to resurface the Kabul-Kandahar highwayKabul-Kandahar highwayThe Kabul-Kandahar Highway is a road linking Afghanistan's two largest cities, Kabul and Kandahar. This highway is a key portion of Afghanistan's national road system or "Ring Road"...
.
Saturday, March 6 - Near Qalat, Zabul Province, Mohammad Isah, a director of the Afghan Red Crescent Society
Afghan Red Crescent Society
The Afghan Red Cross Society is the Afghan affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Society has existed for over 70 years although with limited structure due to the prevailing conditions which have affected the country at large for over 20 years.-...
, was murdered by men who stopped his car.
- West of GhazniGhazniFor the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
, three U.S. soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division were wounded when their vehicle struck a landmineLand mineA land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
. Three local men were detained. - In Uruzgan Province, three Afghan civilians were killed by U.S. soldiers. The soldiers' vehicle had struck an explosive deviceExplosive deviceAn explosive device is device that relies on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Explosive devices have applications as demolition devices and as weapons in the military....
. - In Afghanistan, two operations involving U.S. and Afghan forces resulted in the deaths of nine rebels and the capture of fourteen.
Sunday, March 7 - Afghan government officials announced that Afghan Planning Minister Haji Muhammad Mohaqiq resigned from the cabinet. Mohaqiq said he was fired after announcing his intention to run against interim president Hamid Karzai in the June 2004 elections. Mohaqiq was replaced by Ramazan Bashardoost.
- The United States began Operation Mountain Storm across southern and eastern Afghanistan; the aim was to further destroy the al-Qaeda and Taliban infrastructure.
Monday, March 8 - Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
published Enduring Freedom - Abuses by US Forces in Afghanistan, which criticizes the United States' actions in Afghanistan. The report cites excessive force, arbitrary detentions and the mistreating people in custody as prominent abuses.
- Under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUnited Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesThe Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
, volunteer Afghan refugees began repatriation from different parts of BalochistanBalochistan (Pakistan)Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
in Pakistan. - An Afghan National Army soldier was killed and another injured when rebels opened fire from a vehicle at a checkpoint near Maywand.
Tuesday, March 9 - In Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Turkey, Afghan Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Mohammad Fahim Khan met with Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül
Vecdi Gönül
Mehmet Vecdi Gönül is Minister of Defence of Turkey and Member of Parliament for Kocaeli.-Biography:Gönül's father, Saffet, was a teacher in Military high schools. His mother's name was Lütfiye. He graduated in political science from Ankara University in 1960 and returned to Erzincan as a civil...
.
- Using rockets and rifles, at least a dozen rebels attacked the U.S. outpost in Nangalam, Kunar ProvinceKunar ProvinceKunar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces...
. U.S. forces summoned a A-10 Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
for assistance. An Afghan civilian was wounded in the crossfire. - In Afghanistan, Kabul-area warlords and commanders turned over more than a dozen tanks to the Afghan Defense MinistryAfghan Defense MinistryThe Afghan Ministry of Defense is an organ of the Central Government of Afghanistan, overseeing the entire military of Afghanistan. , it is headed by Abdul Rahim Wardak, a former mujahid who also received some military training in the United States...
, placing them under the control of ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
and the Afghan National Army.
Wednesday, March 10 - Three rockets were fired at the U.S. base at the airport near Kandahar. There were no casualties.
- The United Nations reported that 28% of the 1.4 million Afghans registered to vote were women. This percentage was up dramatically from the 16% registered in December 2003.
- About 100 British special forces soldiers arrived in Kabul and then disembarked to an unknown location in Afghanistan.
Friday, March 12 - Dodsal of Dubai, an Indian construction company, signed a US$230 million contract to set up a modern petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
infrastructure in Afghanistan. The deal entails the construction of 700 retail outlets.
- About 2,000 ethnic Hazara supporters of Haji Muhammad Mohaqiq staged a march in Mazari Sharif, demanding that president Hamid Karzai re-instate Mohaqiq. On March 7, Karzai removed Mohaqiq from the post of planning minister.
- In TehranTehranTehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolvahed Mousavi-Lari and his Afghan Interior Minister Ahmad JalaliAhmad JalaliAhmad Jalali is an Iranian scholar and philosopher.He authored a dozen articles in social, cultural, historical, philosophical, political and international fields...
signed a security pact which focused on border protection and the fight against drug trafficking. - In Kabul, the National Unity Party of Afghanistan, led by former General Nur-al-Haq Olomi, announced its political campaign.
Saturday, March 13 - In Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, rebels attacked a government office. In the battle, three rebels and one Afghan National Army soldier were killed.
- In the capital of Laghman Province, two rockets landed, killing one civilian.
- In Kabul, a rocket fired flew over a U.N. compound and the U.S. military headquarters. The rocket did not detonate when it landed.
- In Kabul. a rocket flew over the center of the city and exploded on hillside.
- U.S.-led troops surprised eight insurgents in caves southwest of Qalat, Zabul Province, prompting a gunbattle in which three of the guerrillas were killed and five others were wounded.
- U.S.-led coalition troops detained five rebels in caves southwest of Qalat, Zabul Province. Anti-coalition propaganda was also found.
Sunday, March 14 - Three rockets landed in Jalalabad
Jalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
. There were no injuries, but windows shattered and some walls crumbled.
- Eight suspects were detained by U.S.-led coalition troops southwest of Qalat, Zabul Province.
- Rocket-propelled grenades were fired at a United Nations team trying to organize voter registrationVoter registrationVoter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
.
Monday, March 15 - The United States initiated Operation Mountain Storm, which intended to drive from inside Afghanistan into a region of rebel sanctuaries and meet the Pakistani military driving from the opposite direction.
Tuesday, March 16 - In an iris verification center
Iris verification center
Iris Verification Center is a UNHCR funded center for Afghan returnees, the technology was introduced by UNHCR-Pakistan in 2002 to counter fraud attempts....
in Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
, Pakistan, 174 Afghan refugees were processed. Each refugee older than six years underwent a computerized iris scan to determine if they had previously been checked and received a repatriation package. The refugees then entered Afghanistan through the Chaman
Chaman
Chaman is the capital of Qilla Abdullah District, Balochistan, Pakistan. It is situated just south of the border with Afghanistan. Across the border in Afghanistan is the neighbouring town of Spin Boldak, in Kandahar Province...
border.
- Pakistani forces began an operation against suspected Al-Qaeda rebels in the mountainous region of South WaziristanSouth WaziristanSouth Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
, close to the border of Afghanistan. Fifteen Pakistani troops were killed and 22 wounded; twenty-four rebels were killed.
Wednesday, March 17 - In Kabul, United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
met with Afghan interim President Hamid Karzai to discuss security and preparations for the June elections.
- Jordanian Army special forces arrived in Afghanistan.
Thursday, March 18 - Pakistani forces re-engaged an operation against suspected Al-Qaeda rebels in the villages of Azam Warsak, Shin Warsak and Kaloosha in the mountainous region of South Waziristan
South Waziristan
South Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
, close to the border of Afghanistan. Each side utilized heavy weaponry. 24 rebels and 16 Afghan troops were killed there during a sweep March 15. The U.S. deployed 13,500 soldiers on the Afghan side.
- U.S. and rebel forces clashed in the Tarin Kowt DistrictTarin Kowt DistrictTarin Kowt District is a district of Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. The capital of the district and the province is the town called Tarin Kowt....
of Uruzgan Province. - 250 more Afghan National Army troops were sent to KhostKhostKhost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
. - Two U.S. Army soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry RegimentU.S. 22d Infantry RegimentThe 22nd Infantry Regiment is a parent regiment of the United States Army. Currently the 1st and 2nd Battalions are activated. The 3rd and 4th Battalions have been deactivated.-Regiment:...
of the 10th Mountain Division (Sgt. Michael EspositoMichael EspositoMichael Esposito is an experimental artist and researcher in Electronic Voice Phenomena .-Biography:Michael Andrew Esposito was born in Gary, Indiana in 1964. He is a descendant of Alfred Vail who invented the Morse Code and several early telegraph devices with his partner Samuel Morse...
and Staff. Sgt. Anthony Lagman) died when their 11-man unit came under fire in the Hindu KushHindu KushThe Hindu Kush is an mountain range that stretches between central Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. The highest point in the Hindu Kush is Tirich Mir in the Chitral region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.It is the westernmost extension of the Pamir Mountains, the Karakoram Range, and is a...
mountains of Afghanistan. At least five rebel fighters died in a heavy exchange of fire. The mission was part of Operation Mountain Storm.
Friday, March 19 - A U.S. airstrike on a village in the Charcheno district of Afghanistan killed six civilians and injured seven.
- About two dozen rebel fighters with heavy weapons launched an attack in the Barmal districtBarmal DistrictBarmal District is a district of Paktika Province, Afghanistan,near the border with North Waziristan, one of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas.According to Syed Saleem Shahzad...
of Paktika ProvincePaktika ProvincePaktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
, but they were repelled after four hours of fighting. Three rebels were killed and the rest fled into Pakistan when U.S. helicopters fired on them. - Pakistani troops were engaged in a pitched battle with an estimated 400 rebels near the Afghan border.
Saturday, March 20 - Taliban forces threatened to kill a Turkish highway engineer kidnapped three weeks earlier, demanding that Afghan authorities release two Taliban militia members who were sentenced to death for the November 16 murder of Bettina Goislard
Bettina Goislard
Bettina Goislard was a French employee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , assigned to its mission in Afghanistan...
.
- Heavy U.S. forces were deployed to the Afghan border near WaziristanWaziristanWaziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
, Pakistan to assist in an offensive against an estimated 400 rebels suspected of harboring Tohir Yo‘ldoshTohir Yo‘ldoshTohir Yo‘ldosh, born Tohir Abduhalilovich Yo‘ldoshev , cofounded the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan , an Islamist organization active in Central Asia, with Juma Namangani in December 1991...
.
Sunday, March 21 - Afghan Civil Aviation Minister Mirwais Sadiq
Mirwais Sadiq
Mirwais Sadiq was the Civil Aviation Minister of Afghanistan and the son of the Ismail Khan, who was then the governor of Herat Province....
(son of governor Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
) was killed by a rocket propelled grenade during a gun battle in Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
. Two police officers also died in the attack. Herat military commander Zaher Naib Zada claimed responsibility for the assassination. Zada had earlier been fired by Sadiq's father. Factional fighting between supporters of Zahir Nayebzada and of Ismail Khan involving tanks and guns ensued in the region, leaving more than 100 people dead. Days later, president Hamid Karzai would say Sadiq's death was caused by a "small accident."
- Interim Afghan President Hamid Karzai called an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the assassination of Mirwais SadiqMirwais SadiqMirwais Sadiq was the Civil Aviation Minister of Afghanistan and the son of the Ismail Khan, who was then the governor of Herat Province....
. Karzai dispatched Afghan National Army troops to HeratHeratHerāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
. - Afghan TVAfghan TVAfghan TV is a commercial television station, based in Kabul, Afghanistan since late 21 May 2004. The station is owned by Mr. Afghanzai, an Afghan entrepreneur. It originally broadcasted for 18-hours daily, but has been 24-hours since July 2004.-Programs:...
reported a failed assassination attempt on Ismail KhanIsmail KhanIsmail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
, but Khan's spokesman denied the report. - An unmanned NATO spy plane crashed on the grounds of the presidential palace in Kabul.
- A U.S. B-1 LancerB-1 LancerThe Rockwell B-1 LancerThe name "Lancer" is only applied to the B-1B version, after the program was revived. is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force...
and a B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
flew over Herat as a reminder, according to Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, of the presence of U.S. forces and to "rest calm." - U.S. troops stationed at the military base in Herat provided shelter to German and Italian diplomatDiplomatA diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
s after fighting erupted near the German Consulate.
Monday, March 22 - Afghan defense minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim and interior minister Ali Ahmad Jalali
Ali Ahmad Jalali
Ali Ahmad Jalali is an Afghan American and a Distinguished Professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies of the United States' National Defense University. He is also a former Interior Minister of Afghanistan, serving in that position from January 2003 to September 2005.Jalali...
arrived in Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
to assess tensions.
- Six-hundred troops of the Afghan National Army arrived in HeratHeratHerāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
to contain violence between warring factions. - Zahir Nayebzada fled Herat.
- United States special forces set up a remote post in OrgunOrgun-External links:*...
. - In Kabul, the Afghanistan International BankAfghanistan International BankAfghanistan International Bank is a local commercial bank in Afghanistan, with its head office in Kabul. The bank has seven branch offices in the major cities of the country....
, managed by ING-IGA, began operation.
Tuesday, March 23 - In Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
, a public burial took place for Mirwais Sadiq
Mirwais Sadiq
Mirwais Sadiq was the Civil Aviation Minister of Afghanistan and the son of the Ismail Khan, who was then the governor of Herat Province....
. The body was taken by tank to its resting place on a hill overlooking the city. Thousands were in attendance.
Friday, March 26 - The United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
unanimously passed Resolution 1536 which extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan for another full year.
Saturday, March 27 - In Afghanistan, three hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s were thrown at homes of Afghan National Army soldiers. No one was injured.
- Iran exported 32,000 vases of flowers to Afghanistan.
Sunday, March 28 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai announced that the national elections scheduled for June would be delayed until September to give the U.N. more time to prepare.
- In the Deh Rawud District of Uruzgan Province, at least ten Afghan National Army soldiers were killed in an ambush by rebel fighters.
- A suicide bomber was killed when his bomb exploded early as he tried to attack a military base in southeastern Afghanistan.
- Six people were wounded in a rebel attack in a southeastern Afghan town.
- In KhostKhostKhost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
, a rocket injured six civilians, including one child, in a restaurant near the U.S. Airbase. - Hikmet CetinHikmet ÇetinHikmet Çetin is a Turkish politician former minister of foreign affairs and was leader of the Republican People's Party for a short time. He served also as the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly....
, NATO's Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, departed Kabul to attend in Berlin, Germany a two-day international conference on reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan. - Afghan Interior Minister Ali Ahmad JalaliAli Ahmad JalaliAli Ahmad Jalali is an Afghan American and a Distinguished Professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies of the United States' National Defense University. He is also a former Interior Minister of Afghanistan, serving in that position from January 2003 to September 2005.Jalali...
announced the establishment of a new province, Daykundi. The province would be entitled to its own governor, a security commander, more police and funds.
Monday, March 29 - In Kandahar, militia corps commander Khan Mohammed oversaw hundreds of his fighters giving up their assault rifles, machine guns, and rockets to the Afghan National Army.
- U.S. troops searched several villages southwest of KhostKhostKhost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
, searching for weapons and information.
Tuesday, March 30 - In a raid in southern Afghanistan, U.S. troops detained six suspected Taliban members.
- A 30-year-old Afghan man died after being struck by a Canadian G-Wagon.
Wednesday, March 31 - In Berlin, Germany, a two-day international conference on reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan began. The conference was attended by 65 countries. Alastair McKechnie, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
country director for Afghanistan, hoped to accumulate during the conference donations of US$27.5 billion (to be granted over seven years). Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai and United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
announced that the United States had, on top of the US$1.2 billion already promised, pledged an additional US$1 billion in aid for 2004. Japan promised US$525 million dollars more over the next two years. German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor...
pledged (in addition to US$391 million promised at a conference in Tokyo in 2002) US$391 million over the next four years.
- The first wave of 2,000 new U.S. Marines arrived in Afghanistan to participate in the hunt for al-Qaeda and Taliban rebels.
April
Thursday, April 1 - Up to fifty New Zealand Special Air Service troops flew to Afghanistan for "long-range reconnaissance and direct action missions".Monday, April 5 - In Badakhshan Province
Badakhshan Province
Badakhshan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 28 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.-Geography:...
, anti-narcotic
Narcotic
The term narcotic originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with any sleep-inducing properties. In the United States of America it has since become associated with opioids, commonly morphine and heroin and their derivatives, such as hydrocodone. The term is, today, imprecisely...
s police destroyed four heroin laboratories and seized 10 tons of opium poppy
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
. There were several arrests.
- The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay KhalilzadZalmay KhalilzadZalmay Mamozy Khalilzad is a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and president of Khalilzad Associates, an international business consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush...
, stated that terroristTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
sanctuaries and bases continued to exist and develop in Pakistan. He added that U.S. troops might need to enter Pakistan to catch the rebels. Pakistan's information minister, Sheikh Ahmed Rashid, called the comments "harmful" and said Pakistan would never allow foreign troops on its soil. The White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
quickly downplayed Khalilzad's comments.
Wednesday, April 7 - A three-hour gun battle occurred during a joint Afghan–U.S.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
operation near Gereshk
Gereshk
Gereshk is a town in Gerishk District in Helmand province on the Helmand River in central Afghanistan, some northwest of Kandahar at 817 m altitude. Gereshk is the centre of a rich agricultural region with the Kajakai dam upriver diverting water to the Boghra Irrigation Canal. Gereshk was...
in Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, killing one rebel and one Afghan soldier, while wounding one U.S. soldier and one Afghan soldier.
- Two Afghan rebels were killed in a gunbattle at a military checkpoint in Sangin DistrictSangin DistrictSangin is a district in the east of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Its population, which is 100% Pashtun, was 50,900 in 2005. The district centre is the town of Sangin.-References:* , dated 2002-12-01, accessed 2006-08-04 .-External links:*...
of Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
. - In Uruzgan Province, an Afghan National Army soldier was killed and another was injured when their vehicle hit a mine.
Thursday, April 8 - Troops under the command of Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
overran Maymana, the capital of Faryab Province
Faryab Province
Fāryāb is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Maymana. The majority of the population is Uzbek.-History:...
. Some reports claim Dostum forces fired into a crowd, killing four. Gov. Enayatullah Enayat
Enayatullah Enayat
Enayatullah Enayat was Governor of Faryab Province in Afghanistan from 2003 until 2005, when he was appointed as Governor of Badghis Province. Enayat is currently the governor of Samangan Province.-References:...
was rushed to an airport and evacuated. Afghan National Army troops were flown from Kabul to Faryab province.
- HamidullahHamidullahHamidullah or Hameedullah is a male Muslim given name, and in modern usage surname, composed of the elements Hamid and Allah. It may refer to:-Males:*Hamidullah Khan , Nawab of Bhopal...
, an Afghan intelligence chief, and two Afghan National Army soldiers were abducted by dozens of men near Chenartu in Uruzgan Province. Taliban leader Mullah Hakim Latifi claimed that the men had been killed, and offered to exchange their bodies for that of a Taliban held by Uruzgan officials.
Saturday, April 10 - In Kod-i-Barq, Balkh Province
Balkh Province
Balkh is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country and its name derives from the ancient city of Balkh, near the modern town...
, an armed encounter took place between forces loyal to Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
and a local Tajik leader Atta Mohammad. The incident took place in the Mazar fertilizer factory residential area and resulted in a few injuries.
- Abdul Rashid DostumAbdul Rashid DostumAbdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
forces withdrew from Maymana, the capital of Faryab ProvinceFaryab ProvinceFāryāb is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Maymana. The majority of the population is Uzbek.-History:...
, but remained in the province despite orders to leave.
Monday, April 12 - In Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, Italy, nine members of the Afghanistan national football team
Afghanistan national football team
The Afghanistan national football team is the national team of Afghanistan and is controlled by the Afghanistan Football Federation. The national team was founded in 1922 that joined FIFA in 1948 and the AFC in 1954...
disappeared during the team's tour of Europe. Italian border police were alerted. They later surfaced in Germany and the Netherlands to claim asylum.
- In the Spera DistrictSpera DistrictSpera District is situated in the most southwestern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan. It borders with Paktia Province to the south and west, Shamal District to the north. To the east it borders Nadir Shah Kot and Tani districts and Pakistan. The population is 21,500 people. The district center...
of Khost ProvinceKhost ProvinceKhost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
, 700 Afghan and 100 U.S. troops began a new operation to hunt down Al-Qaeda and Taliban members.
Tuesday, April 13 - Afghan national security officers, local police and more than 100 Canadian soldiers raided a compound in the Charar Asiab district outside Kabul, arresting six suspects of Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin
Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin
The Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin is an Afghan islamist political party.The original Hezb-e-Islami was founded in 1977 by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar who is now the head of HIG. The other faction is headed by Mulavi Younas Khalis who split with Hekmatyar and established his own Hezbi Islami in 1979...
.
- Taliban members killed two Afghan civilians for allegedly spying for the U.S. forces in Uruzgan Province.
- In Kabul, Afghan forces and ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
peacekeepers arrested six suspected Taliban members.
Wednesday, April 14 - Taliban members ambushed and shot dead the deputy chief of Mizan District
Mizan District
Mizan District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan....
and several of his colleagues in Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
.
- A bomb exploded in front of the U.S. military base further in Kandahar, wounding General Salim KhanSalim KhanSalim Khan is an Indian Scriptwriter and Actor. He wrote numerous screenplays for Bollywood films. He frequently collaborated with writer Javed Akhtar; the duo is credited as Salim-Javed.-Personal life:...
, a senior police official, and two of his bodyguards. - In Khost ProvinceKhost ProvinceKhost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
, rebels exchanged of rocket and machine-gun fire with Afghan National Army soldiers killing two and wounding two. Nine rebels were also killed. - Police chief Yar Mohammed and nine of his officers were ambushed and killed by rebel forces in Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
. - In the Barmal DistrictBarmal DistrictBarmal District is a district of Paktika Province, Afghanistan,near the border with North Waziristan, one of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas.According to Syed Saleem Shahzad...
of Paktika ProvincePaktika ProvincePaktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
, five Taliban rebels in military uniforms pretending to be pro-government forces executed seven Afghans, including five government officials, a woman and child. They were asked if they supported interim president Hamid Karzai and the government. The people in the vehicle said yes, and they were killed on the spot.
Thursday, April 15 - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
Ruud Lubbers
Ruud Lubbers
Rudolphus Franciscus Marie "Ruud" Lubbers is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from November 4, 1982 until August 22, 1994....
began a four-day visit to Afghanistan. He was supposed to visit the Zahre Dasht camp for internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s (near Kandahar); however, his security could not be insured, and the visit was canceled.
Friday, April 16 - The government of Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais....
banned women from performing or reporting news on television and radio.
- On the Del Aram Road at the last checkpoint before Farah ProvinceFarah ProvinceFarah is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Farah. Farah is a spacious and sparsely populated province that lies on the Iranian border...
, men riding in three station wagons fired rockets and machine gun when they were stopped at the checkpoint, killing eight Afghan National Army soldiers. - Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai and U.S. ambassador Zalmay KhalilzadZalmay KhalilzadZalmay Mamozy Khalilzad is a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and president of Khalilzad Associates, an international business consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush...
attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hyatt Regency hotel to be constructed by Afghan-American and Turkish investors. - U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffChairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffThe Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
Richard MyersRichard MyersRichard Bowman Myers is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force and served as the 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As Chairman, Myers was the United States military's highest ranking uniformed officer....
met with U.S. commanders in Kabul.
Saturday, April 17 - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
Ruud Lubbers
Ruud Lubbers
Rudolphus Franciscus Marie "Ruud" Lubbers is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from November 4, 1982 until August 22, 1994....
visited with interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai and other senior Afghan officials in Kabul. Lubbers also visited Istalif
Istalif
Istālif is a village about 18 miles northwest of Kabul, Afghanistan, situated at at 1693 m altitude. It is the center of Istalif District, Kabul Province, Afghanistan. The village was destroyed during the longlasting wars around Kabul. There are a few repaired or newly constructed buildings. The...
and the Bagaram district.
Sunday, April 18 - The Economic Cooperation Organization
Economic Cooperation Organization
The Economic Cooperation Organization is an intergovernmental organization involving seven Asian and three Eurasian nations, part of the South-central Asian Union. It provides a platform to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade, and investment opportunities. The ECO is an ad hoc...
opened a two-day conference in Kabul bringing together representatives from ten regional countries. The agenda included ways to improve development and promote trade, and investment opportunities.
Monday, April 19 - In a raid on a compound in central Kabul, local police and ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
forces arrested eight militants with suspected links to Hezb-i-Islami and al-Qaeda.
Tuesday, April 20 - At the opening in Kabul of a three-day gathering of representatives of international donor countries, interim president Hamid Karzai announced a reduction in the size of his 30-person cabinet and a clarification of the responsibilities of each ministry. However, the plan needed the approved of the current cabinet before taking effect.
- German foreign minister Joschka FischerJoschka FischerJoseph Martin "Joschka" Fischer is a German politician of the Alliance '90/The Greens. He served as Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany in the cabinet of Gerhard Schröder from 1998 to 2005...
visited KunduzKunduzKunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north...
and met the provincial governor and some of the 300 German peacekeeping troops posted there. Later he met interim president Hamid Karzai in Kabul. - In Kabul, Abdullah ShahAbdullah ShahAbdullah Shah was an Afghan man found guilty in Kabul of killing more than 20 people, including his wife. His sanctioned execution was the first in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001....
was killed by firing squad, marking the first sanctioned execution in the country since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001. Abdullah Shah was convicted of more than 20 murders. News of the execution was kept secret until the story was revealed by Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
a week later.
Wednesday, April 21 - In Kabul, local police and ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
soldiers arrested four suspects, three near Kabul Stadium and one in front of the Finance Ministry. Three detonators were found in the vest of the last suspect. Over a dozen other suspects were taken into custody in a raid on a home.
- A bomb near Spin BoldakSpin BoldakSpin Boldak or Spin Buldak is a border town in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, right next to the Durand Line border with Pakistan. It is linked by a highway with the city of Kandahar to the north, and with Chaman and Quetta in Pakistan to the south. Spin Boldak has the second major...
killed one person and injured two others. The blast occurred near a building where the governor was meeting with local officials. - U.S. forces battled for four hours against rebels in the Tangi Mountains of Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, killing two fighters and arresting two others. Five AK-47AK-47The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
rifles and one rocket launcher were seized by the U.S. forces. - A bomb exploded near a bazaar in Kandahar, damaging a nearby shop and killing the bomber.
- Afghan Sami Yousafzai, employed by NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, was detained by Pakistani forces when he tried to enterNorth WaziristanWaziristanWaziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
; he was held until June 2. Eliza GriswoldEliza GriswoldEliza Griswold is an award-winning American journalist and poet. She is a fellow at the New America Foundation and won a 2010 Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters....
, a U.S. journalist employed by The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, was also detained, but was quickly freed and deported.
Thursday, April 22 - In the Ghazi Abad District of Kunar Province
Kunar Province
Kunar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces...
, a bomb exploded on a truck carrying fuel for a U.S. military base, wounding three Afghan men.
- After receiving pressure from Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai, the government of Nangahar Province lifted ban on women performers on television and radio.
- U.S. soldier Pat TillmanPat TillmanCorporal Patrick Daniel "Pat" Tillman Jr. was an American football player who left his professional career and enlisted in the United States Army in June 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. He joined the Army Rangers and served several tours in combat before he died in the...
and a member of the Afghan National Army were killed by hostile fire in an ambush in eastern Afghanistan. Two other U.S. soldiers were wounded. - In Afghanistan, an explosive device detonated on the road to Kandahar airport as a U.N. convoy passed. There were no injuries.
Friday, April 23 - In a Panjwai District village of Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, a group of 50 armed men attacked aid workers of the Central Asia Development Group, setting fire to eight vehicles. No casualties were reported.
Saturday, April 24 - Near the village of Dailanor, in Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, rebels ambushed a U.S. military convoy on a road, detonating an explosion that wounded three U.S. Marines, one seriously. The Marines were part of a contingent of 2,000 Marines who arrived in Afghanistan in recent weeks.
Sunday, April 25 - Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai visited Kandahar for the first time since there was an attempt on his life there on September 5, 2002. A man with a grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
near the travel route was apprehended by local police.
- Local police found and destroyed 48 new Chinese-made rockets southwest of Kabul.
Monday, April 26 - Top diplomats of NATO's North Atlantic Council
North Atlantic Council
North Atlantic Council is the most senior political governing body of NATO established by Article 9 of the North Atlantic Treaty. The NAC can be held at the Permanent Representative Level , or can be composed of member states' Ministers of State, Defense, or Heads of Government. The NAC has the...
visited Kabul for the first time since it took over command of ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
.
- In the Panjwai District of Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, two aid workers and an Afghan National Army soldier were killed rebels.
Wednesday, April 28 - North of Kabul, local police arrested 16 men suspected of plotting to smuggle weapons into the capital.
- In Kabul's Deputy Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, Mohammad Naim Ghiacy hosted a meeting with an Iranian delegation led by Ahmed Hosseini and with UNHCR representatives Filippo GrandiFilippo GrandiFilippo Grandi served as Deputy Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East , appointed to his position by United Nations Secretary-General in 2005...
and Philippe Lavanchy to discuss Afghan repatriationRepatriationRepatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
progress. To date, 2 million Afghans lived in Iran, of whom 800,000 are considered refugees.
Thursday, April 29 - Afghan Interior Minister Ali Ahmed Jalali announced that Kabul police rescued that week more than 17 children from child kidnappers.
Friday, April 30 - At least five Afghan National Army soldiers were killed in an attack by rebels in Panjwai District, Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
.
- At least two people were killed in an attack by rebels who attacked a government office in Uruzgan Province.
- The Afghan government arrested 19-year-old Mohammad Sahil, a Pakistani national, for spying. Sahil was affiliated with the IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic party of Jamiat-ul-Ansar and fought under the Taliban command in Panjwae District of Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
.
May
Sunday, May 2 - About 60 U.S. troops in Afghanistan strayed into Pakistan and searched the village of Alwara Mandi in a night time operation. The incursion was accidental and lasted only 25 minutes.Monday, May 3 - Ten Afghan National Army soldiers were found dead in southern Afghanistan after being abducted in two rebel raids. Five soldiers were found dead on a mountainside in Niamashien district of Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
; five soldiers were found dead in the Sur Ghogan area.
Wednesday, May 5 - The U.S. sent 2,000 Marines from the 22nd MEU (SOC) to the area around Tirin Kot, 250 miles southwest of Kabul.
- Sixty prisoners as a first wave of suspected Taliban prisoners were moved from Sheberghan prisonSheberghan PrisonThe Sheberghan Prison is a prison in northern Afghanistan.Following the battle of Qali-Jangi in Mazari Sharif General Dostum sent many of the surviving captives to Sheberghan Prison.He is reported to have sent them in industrial shipping containers....
to the Pul-e-Charkhi jail outside Kabul. Many of them were suffering from tuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. About 900 prisoners staged a riot in the prison a week earlier, protesting their conditions. They were being held without scheduled trials. - Sixty members of the Hawaii Army National GuardHawaii Army National GuardThe Hawaii Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
's 193rd Aviation left for Afghanistan to replace U.S. soldiers from their unit who were in Kandahar since August 2003. - Two British contractors working for Global Risk Strategies and their Afghan driver were killed by members of the Taliban in an attack in the Mandol districtMandol DistrictMandol District is a district of Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan. It was originally in Laghman Province and then was moved to the newly created Nuristan Province in 2001....
of Nuristan region, 200 km east of the capital Kabul. The contractors were assisting the United Nations prepare for the upcoming elections. - U.S. troops searched houses in Pakistani territory, against the wishes of Pakistan.
Friday, May 7 - Six Afghan National Army soldiers were wounded and two were killed in an attack by Taliban forces on a district building in Shah Wali Kot, just north of Kandahar.
- In Moscow, Russia, Afghan foreign minister Abdullah AbdullahAbdullah AbdullahAbdullah Abdullah is an Afghan politician and a doctor of medicine. He was an adviser and friend to Ahmad Shah Massoud, legendary anti-Taliban leader and commander known as the "Lion of Panjshir". After the fall of the Taliban regime, Dr. Abdullah served as Afghanistan's Foreign Minister from 2001...
met with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian National Security Council Secretary Igor IvanovIgor IvanovIgor Sergeyevich Ivanov is a Russian politician and was Russian Foreign Minister from 1998 to 2004.- Early life :...
to discuss key issues, including the settlement of Afghanistan's Soviet-era debt and the provision of regional security. - In Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, U.S. forces captured at least 25 militants, including a Taliban commander, Mullah Rozi KhanRozi KhanRozi Khan was a Pashtun Barakzai tribal leader in the Afghanistan province of Orūzgān. In the 1980s he was a Mujahideen commander fighting against the Soviets. In 2001 he was appointed police chief of Orūzgān province by President Karzai, a position he held until 2006...
.
Saturday, May 8 - Four Afghan election staff workers survived the explosion of their Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
near Grabawa, Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais....
. Their driver was slightly injured.
Sunday, May 9 - Two foreigners (about 30 years old and wearing Afghan clothes) were found dead in a park in west Kabul. One had been beaten with bricks or stones; the other had been strangled. One of the foreigners was carrying a Swiss passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
.
Monday, May 10 - Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai visited Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
to negotiated with Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
regarding disarmament. Karzai traveled via a U.S. C-130 military transport plane and was guarded by U.S. bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
s.
- Two Afghan National Army soldiers were killed by rebels on a highway near Shahjoy in Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
. - An Afghan National Army vehicle was ambushed near Qalat, Zabul Province. Its driver was shot and wounded.
Tuesday, May 11 - In Kabul, an ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
peacekeeper was slightly injured by a rocket fired into the ISAF main base.
Wednesday, May 12 - In Kabul, a 17-year-old Afghan man was killed and another injured when their motorcycle with three people aboard struck a trailer towed by a Canadian army truck. The motorcycle attempted to pass a convoy of Canadian military vehicles headed for the airport.
- U.S. troops killed five suspected Taliban rebels and arrested five more during a clash the Paj Kotal mountain pass region of Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
.
Saturday, May 15 - Near Girishk
Girishk
Girishk is a village and fort of Afghanistan. It stands on the right bank of the Helmand River 78 miles west of Kandahar on the road to Herat; 3641 ft. above the sea. Girishk was occupied by the British during the First Afghan War, and a small garrison of sepoys under a native officer successfully...
in Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, rebels attacked a U.S.-led coalition combat patrol, killing one U.S. soldier (Chief Warrant Officer Bruce E. Price) and wounding two others. Two men were detained; they were allegedly brothers of Mullah Abdul Ghafoor.
- In Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, U.S. forces defused a bomb at a bridge. - In the Panjwayi district of Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, local police seized 80 AK-47AK-47The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
s smuggled in an oil transport truck. Two of the arrested men were alleged to be brothers of Mullah Shirien.
Monday, May 17 - In Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, Pakistan, finance ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan and the deputy secretary of the United States Department of Treasury John B. Taylor
John B. Taylor
John Brian Taylor is the Mary and Robert Raymond Professor of Economics at Stanford University, and the George P. Shultz Senior Fellow in Economics at Stanford University's Hoover Institution....
met to review economic developments in the region.
- In FarahFarah, AfghanistanFarah is a city in western Afghanistan, situated at 650 m altitude, and located on the Farah River. It is the capital of Farah Province, and has a population of approximately 109,409....
, night letterNight letterA night letter is an unsigned leaflet distributed clandestinely, very much like the samizdat that were distributed clandestinely by the dissidents in the Soviet Union...
s were scattered warning people not to register to vote "or they will be punished."
Tuesday, May 18 - In Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, an international two-day forum opened to discuss financial, technical and personnel-related aid to Afghan police. Representatives of governmental organizations from over 20 countries were in attendance.
- In SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea, the Korea Resources Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding with Afghanistan on cooperation in developing mineral resources. - Former King of Afghanistan Mohammad Zahir Shah was brought to a hospital in the United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
because of nose bleeding caused by heat. He was reported in stable condition.
Wednesday, May 19 - Between Shindand
Shindand
Shindand may refer to:*Shindand, Herat, Afghanistan**Shindand Air Base, north of the city*Shindand, Farah, Afghanistan*Shindand, Pakistan, village in FATA, Pakistan...
and Farah
Farah, Afghanistan
Farah is a city in western Afghanistan, situated at 650 m altitude, and located on the Farah River. It is the capital of Farah Province, and has a population of approximately 109,409....
, rebels ambushed a police car, and killed two officers returning home from escorting U.N. staff members.
Thursday, May 20 - A remote-controlled bomb destroyed a vehicle carrying election workers through the Jaji Maydan District
Jaji Maydan District
Jaji Maydan District is located in the northeastern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan. It borders Bak District to the west, Paktia Province to the north and Pakistan to the north and east. The population is 21,400 . The district center is the village of Jaji Maydan, situated in the eastern part...
of Khost Province, Afghanistan, injuring at least four people.
- A homemade bomb was uncovered in a girl's school being used as a voter registration center in Puli Alam.
- U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan crossed into Pakistan's tribal.
Friday, May 21 - In Tani village, Khost Province, Afghanistan, three civilians were killed and two wounded in a pre-dawn attack by U.S. helicopter gunships. U.S. forces claimed they had been fired on; villagers at the scene said no U.S. patrol had been fired on.
Saturday, May 22 - The U.S. military named Brig. Gen. Charles Jacoby, deputy operational commander at the Bagram Air Base
Bagram Air Base
Bagram Airfield, also referred to as Bagram Air Base, is a militarized airport and housing complex that is located next to the ancient city of Bagram, southeast of Charikar in Parwan province of Afghanistan. The base is run by a US Army division headed by a major general. A large part of the base,...
, to carry out a review of U.S. secretive Afghan. Jacoby was to carry out a top-to-bottom review and deliver a report by mid-June.
- Local Pakistani newspapers reported an incursion by U.S. troops from Afghanistan into Pakistan.
- About 20 rebels on motorcycles killed an Afghan National Army soldier in an attack on troops guarding a shipment of tractorTractorA tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
s and generatorElectrical generatorIn electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
s as it moved toward Waza Khwa in Paktika ProvincePaktika ProvincePaktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
. - Afghanistan's first commercial television channel went on air in Kabul, funded by Ahmed Shah Afghanzai.
Sunday, May 23 - In Kabul, a rocket-propelled grenade killed a Norwegian ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
peacekeeper and injured another as a four-vehicle convoy was driving back from patrol.
- Two people were killed in a rocket attack near Tirin Kot in Uruzgan Province. Police chief Rozi KhanRozi KhanRozi Khan was a Pashtun Barakzai tribal leader in the Afghanistan province of Orūzgān. In the 1980s he was a Mujahideen commander fighting against the Soviets. In 2001 he was appointed police chief of Orūzgān province by President Karzai, a position he held until 2006...
said the victims were civilians; police chief Abdul Rahim KhanAbdul Rahim KhanAir Marshal Abdur Rahim Khan, HJ, HQA, SPk, SBt was a 3-star rank general and air officer who served as the last Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force between 1969 and 1972...
said the victims were of the Afghan National Army.
Tuesday, May 25 - Pakistani and U.S. military officials met to discuss mechanism to stop recent military incursions from Afghanistan by U.S. forces hunting suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban fugitives in the border region.
- U.S. planes helped Afghan National Army forces attack suspected Taliban forces in the mountains of the Arghistan DistrictArghistan DistrictThe Arghistan District is a district situated in the northeastern part of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Spin Boldak District to the south and west, Daman District to the west, Zabul Province to the north, Maruf District to the east and Pakistan to the east and south. The population is...
in Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, killing some 20 suspected insurgents at a recently discovered camp. Three of his Afghan soldiers were injured. - In Paris, France, Frenchmen David Courtailler and Ahmed Laidouni and AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n Mohamed Baadache were convicted of organizing networks that sent militants to Afghan camps for training in terrorismTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
.
Wednesday, May 26 - Interim Afghan president Hamid Karzai enacted an election law that requires both presidential and parliamentary elections to be held through free, general, secret and direct voting. To win the race, a presidential candidate needs at least 50 percent of the vote. A presidential candidate is required to gather 10,000 voters backing the bid.
- Three children were killed by a recently planted roadside bomb in Kandahar.
Friday, May 28 - A remote-controlled explosive wounded five Afghan soldiers on a road in the Sozyan area of Uruzgan Province. Three suspects were later detained.
Saturday, May 29 - Four U.S.Special Operations Soldiers were killed when their Humvee hit a landmine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
in the Sorie district of Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
. Three U.S. soldiers were wounded in the blast.
- In Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, four Afghan National Army soldiers and one rebel died in a clash. - In Afghanistan, rebels in vehicles swept into Musa QalaMusa QalaMusa Qala is a town and the district center of Musa Qala District in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, at and at 1043 m altitude in the valley of Musa Qala River in the central western part of the district. Its population has been reported in the British press to be both 2,000 and 20,000...
and opened fire on the government office with assault rifles and heavy machine-guns. Four of the 30 soldiers defending the compound were killed and eight others wounded. One rebel was also killed and four were captured.
June
Tuesday, June 1 - Haji Ajab Shah, the chief of police JalalabadJalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
, was killed and three of his staff injured after a bomb exploded underneath his chair.
Wednesday, June 2 - Afghans Fasil Ahmad and Besmillah, Belgian Helene de Beir, Norwegian Egil Tynaes, and Dutchman Willem Kwint, all workers for Doctors Without Borders killed in an ambush near Khair Khana
Khair Khāna
Khair Khāna is a neighbourhood in north west Kabul, Afghanistan. It is predominantly residential, with a boom of high rise constructions and modern apartments, as the area has seen major re-developments....
in Badghis Province
Badghis Province
Bādghīs is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in northwestern Afghanistan, between the Murghab and Hari rivers, extending as far northward as the edge of the desert of Sarakhs. It includes the Chul formations through which the Turkmen-Afghan boundary runs...
. They were the first ever fatalities for the group. Mullah Abdul Hakim Latifi, a spokesman for the Taliban, took responsibility for the attack.
- Sami Yousafzai, an Afghan journalist employed by NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
was freed from Pakistan after being detained since April 21. - U.S. and Afghan troops backed by U.S. warplanes fought rebels in the mountains in the Miana Shien district of Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, killing 13 rebels and arresting eight. Two U.S. troops and one Afghan National Army soldier were wounded. - The United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
unanimously approved a $25 billion dollar emergency request from George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to fund military operations in IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan.
Thursday, June 3 - Doctors Without Borders suspended its work in Afghanistan.
- UNHCR suspended all travel in Badghis ProvinceBadghis ProvinceBādghīs is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in northwestern Afghanistan, between the Murghab and Hari rivers, extending as far northward as the edge of the desert of Sarakhs. It includes the Chul formations through which the Turkmen-Afghan boundary runs...
.
Friday, June 4 - North of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, militants exchanged fire with U.S.-led forces. There were no reports of injuries, but five militants were detained.
Saturday, June 5 - In Paktia Province
Paktia Province
Paktia , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the east of the country. Its capital is Gardez. The population is predominantly Pashtun.- History:...
, a convoy of Afghan and foreign staff preparing for the elections was ambushed. There were no injuries.
Sunday, June 6 - U.S. warplanes pounded dozens of insurgents hiding in caves near Tirin Kot.
- In Qalay-e Naw, Badghis ProvinceBadghis ProvinceBādghīs is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in northwestern Afghanistan, between the Murghab and Hari rivers, extending as far northward as the edge of the desert of Sarakhs. It includes the Chul formations through which the Turkmen-Afghan boundary runs...
, a grenade was tossed over the wall of the compound housing the Italian relief group Alisei. A vehicle and a water tank were damaged, but no one was injured.
Monday, June 7 - A U.S. soldier was killed and two others wounded after their vehicle hit a landmine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
in southeastern Afghanistan. They were taken to Kandahar airfield hospital where the one soldier died.
Tuesday, June 8 - U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces completed a week-long operation in the Daychopan District of Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
. Through the course of the operation, 73 rebel fighters were killed and 13 captured. Six Afghan government forces and four coalition soldiers were wounded, and none killed.
- Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai began a week-long visit to the United States. His first appearance was at Fort Drum, New York.
Wednesday, June 9 - Eleven Chinese aid workers from Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
province were killed in their compound by a score of armed men in Kunduz
Kunduz
Kunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north...
, and another six were wounded. Taliban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi
Abdul Latif Hakimi
Mullah Abdul Latif Hakimi, also known as Latif Hakimi or Hakim Latifi, was a purported spokesman for the Taliban in Afghanistan.Hakimi first claimed a suicide bombing on 28 January 2004, that killed a British soldier in Kabul....
stated the Taliban were not involved.
- U.S.-led coalition troops swept portions of Uruzgan Province, capturing a score of insurgents and killing eight.
- Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai attends the G-8 Summit in Sea Island, GeorgiaSea Island, GeorgiaSea Island is an affluent resort island located in the barrier islands just off the Atlantic coast of southern Georgia in the United States. The resort complex is located in an unincorporated Glynn County....
.
Thursday, June 10 - In Kunduz Province, police chief Mutaleb Beg announced that two suspects were detained in connection with the previous day's massacre of Chinese aid workers.
- In the Bak DistrictBak DistrictBäk District is situated in the northern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan. It borders Sabari District to the west, Paktia Province and Jaji Maydan District to the north, Pakistan to the east and Tere Zayi District to the south. The population is 19,600 . The district center is the village of...
of Khost ProvinceKhost ProvinceKhost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
, a U.S. encountered three roadside bombs; one discharged. There were no casualties.
Friday, June 11 - In southeast Afghanistan, eleven rockets were fired at a U.N. convoy carrying government officials.
- During his visit to the U.S., Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai scrubbed his planned weekend visit to the Afghan community in California and began his visit to Washington by representing Afghanistan at the state funeral of former U.S. president Ronald ReaganDeath and state funeral of Ronald ReaganOn June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, died after having suffered from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade. His seven-day state funeral followed, spanning June 5–11...
. This marked the first time an Afghan head of state or government had ever attended a funeral of an American president.
Saturday, June 12 - In Shorabak, Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, sixty rebels clashed with fifty Afghan National Army troops for over three hours. The rebels seized the outpost building and set it on fire.
Sunday, June 13 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai appeared on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
and on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Late Edition
Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer
Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer was a Sunday talk show hosted by Wolf Blitzer on CNN and broadcast around the world by CNN International. The show's slogan was The last word in Sunday talk and comments made on the show were often featured in the following Monday's news headlines.The show, launched...
.
Monday, June 14 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai held a press conferences with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
beside a 9-11 memorial plaque on a section of The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
's western wall.
Tuesday, June 15 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai addressed the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber. Karzai also met with U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
- In Kabul, a group of 100 protesters led by Mahfooz Nedaye and Sayed Abdul Hadi called for the resignation of Hamid Karzai on the grounds that his term of office had expired under the terms of the Bonn AgreementBonn Agreement (Afghanistan)Officially the Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan Pending the Re-Establishment of Permanent Government Institutions, the Bonn Agreement was the initial series of agreements intended to re-create the State of Afghanistan following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in response to the...
. - In Kandahar, Hamid Agha, the local chief of refugees affairs was assassinated by gunmen on motorcycles. Three of his bodyguards were also wounded.
Wednesday, June 16 - In Kunduz Province, a NATO convey was bombed, killing a driver and three bystanders.
- In the HSBCHSBCHSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
-sponsored ACCAsian Cricket CouncilThe Asian Cricket Council is a cricket organization which was established in 1983, to promote and develop the sport of cricket in Asia. It is the regional administrative body and is sub-ordinate to the International Cricket Council. The Conference became the Asian Cricket Council in 1995 and its...
Trophy at the Kilat Club at Kuala LumpurKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia, Afghanistan recorded its first win in an international cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
competition by defeating BahrainBahrain' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
by eight wickets.
Thursday, June 17 - Four suspects linked to the previous day's NATO convoy bombing were detained in Kunduz Province by Afghan officials.
- In an afternoon-long siege, hundreds of troops of Abdul Salaam Khan attacked ChaghcharanChaghcharanChaghcharān , in historical literature as Chakhcherān, formerly known as Ahangaran, is a town and district in central Afghanistan, which serves as the capital of Ghor Province...
, the capital of Ghor Province. - Two New Zealand Special Air Service soldiers were wounded in a pre-dawn gunbattle in central Afghanistan.
- The two U.S. soldiers were wounded when their vehicle struck a landmineLand mineA land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
north of Qalat, Zabul Province.
Friday, June 18 - In central Afghanistan, an Afghan interpreter was killed by militant gunfire, while two U.S. soldiers and two New Zealand soldiers were wounded.
- Rebels fired at least two rockets at the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUnited Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesThe Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
in Kandahar. - Scores of rebels attacked a government office in MizanMizanMizan is a comprehensive treatise on the contents of Islam, written by Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, a Pakistani Islamic scholar. It is published in Urdu by Al-Mawrid Institute of Islamic Sciences. The book is also available in the form of different booklets...
, Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, killing two Afghan National Army soldiers and wounding three during the two-hour exchange. Five attackers also died.
Sunday, June 20 - Three rocket-propelled grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
s were fired at an electoral office near Kabul.
Monday, June 21 - In the Surkh Sang area of Arghandab District
Arghandab District
Arghandab is a district in the central part of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Panjwai and Khakrez districts to the west, Shah Wali Kot District to the north and east and Kandahar District to the east and south....
of Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, rebels kidnapped and beheaded an Afghan interpreter, prompting U.S.-led coalition forces and Afghan National Army soldiers to clash with the rebels, killing four of them. Naimatullah Khan
Naimatullah Khan
Niamthullah Khan was the Nazim of largest city of Pakistan, Karachi from August 2001-June 2005. He graduated from Punjab University with a Masters in Journalism and a Law Degree from Karachi University. He is lawyer by profession. He is the chairman of the biggest NGO of Pakistan, Alkhidmat...
, corps commander of southeastern Zabul province, initially stated that the Afghan soldiers avenged the interpreter's murder by beheaded the four rebels, but later retracted the statement. Three rebels were arrested.
Tuesday, June 22 - Seven rocket-propelled grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
s were fired at a U.S. military base in Khost
Khost
Khost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
, slightly wounding two soldiers and three Afghan interpreters.
Wednesday, June 23 - Near Spin Boldak
Spin Boldak
Spin Boldak or Spin Buldak is a border town in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, right next to the Durand Line border with Pakistan. It is linked by a highway with the city of Kandahar to the north, and with Chaman and Quetta in Pakistan to the south. Spin Boldak has the second major...
, five members of the Afghan National Army were killed and two others were seriously wounded when their vehicle hit a landmine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
.
Thursday, June 24 - In Kunar Province
Kunar Province
Kunar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces...
, two U.S. Marines were killed and another was wounded.
Friday, June 25 - In Uruzgan Province rebels kidnapped sixteen passengers of a bus and then killed them.
Saturday, June 26 - In Afghanistan, a bomb planted in a minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
carrying workers to voter registration sites from Jalalabad
Jalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
to the Shinwar District
Shinwar District
Shinwar is a district in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. It is on the main highway from Jalalabad to the Torkham border crossing. Its population, which is 100% Pashtun, was estimated at 40,147 in 2002, of whom 16,000 were children under 12. The district centre is the village of Shinwar...
exploded, killing two Afghan U.N. election workers, and injuring three. Taliban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi
Abdul Latif Hakimi
Mullah Abdul Latif Hakimi, also known as Latif Hakimi or Hakim Latifi, was a purported spokesman for the Taliban in Afghanistan.Hakimi first claimed a suicide bombing on 28 January 2004, that killed a British soldier in Kabul....
claimed responsibility. The driver left the vehicle just before the explosion. He was caught by police shortly thereafter.
Tuesday, June 29 - Afghan National Army troops in Char Cheno District, Uruzgan Province, killed three rebel fighters.
- In Uruzgan Province, rebels stopped four trucks bound for a U.S. base, set them on fire, and abducted twelve men operating the vehicles.
Wednesday, June 30 - Bombs hidden in fruit carts exploded at two separate security checkpoints in Jalalabad
Jalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
, killing four and injuring 23.
- U.S. and Afghan National Army troops traded gunfire with rebels near Daychopan district, killing five and capturing seven. One Afghan soldier was wounded.
July
Thursday, July 1 - Carmela Baranowska, an Australian journalistJournalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
reported missing in Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, called her employer to say she was not being held hostage. She had not been seen nor heard from since June 28. At the time she was filming her documentary Taliban Country.
Saturday, July 3 - Police in Mazari Sharif made a large drug seizure and then accused regional military commander Mohammad Atta of being involved in the illegal trade.
Sunday, July 4, 2004 - In a ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai accepted the Philadelphia Liberty Medal
Philadelphia Liberty Medal
The Liberty Medal is an annual award administered by the National Constitution Center of the United States to recognize leadership in the pursuit of freedom. It was originally founded by The Philadelphia Foundation. In 2006 an agreement was made with the National Constitution Center that the NCC...
.
- A roadside bomb exploded near Lashkargar, Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, injuring the mayor, Haji Manaf Khan, and his bodyguard.
Monday, July 5 - In the Karteh Parwan district of Kabul, local security forces arrested three Americans, including Jonathan Idema
Jonathan Idema
Jonathan Keith "Jack" Idema is a convicted felon and con artist who was also found gulty in September 2004 for running a private prison in Afghanistan and torturing Afghan citizens. At the time, Idema had been portraying himself as a U.S. government-sponsored special forces operative on a mission...
, and four Afghans after police raided an illegal jail.
Tuesday, July 6 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai and members of a U.N.-sponsored electoral commission met in Kabul, but failed to finalize on a date for the national and parliamentary elections.
- Intelligence agents captured Taliban members Mullah Sakhi Dad MujahidSakhi Dad MujahidSakhi Dad Mujahid is the former Deputy Defence Minister of Afghanistan under Taliban rule, and is believed to have controlled as many as 2000 militants following the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan.-Insurgent leader:...
and Nisar Hamed in a raid on a compound in Shah Wali Kot, Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
. Mujahid was carrying a cell phone containing phone numbers of top level Taliban leaders, including founder Mohammed OmarMohammed OmarMullah Mohammed Omar , often simply called Mullah Omar, is the leader of the Taliban movement that operates in Afghanistan. He was Afghanistan's de facto head of state from 1996 to late 2001, under the official title "Head of the Supreme Council"...
. - U.S. Major Harry Schmidt was found guilty of dereliction of dutyDereliction of dutyDereliction of duty is a specific offense under United States Code Title 10,892. Article 92 and applies to all branches of the US military. A service member who is derelict has willfully refused to perform his duties or has incapacitated himself in such a way that he cannot perform his duties...
in regard to his killing of four Canadians on April 17, 2002 in Afghanistan. - In a program organized by the UNHCR, the first of 525 Afghan refugees departed from KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
to Canada to start new lives.
Thursday, July 8 - In Khogyani District
Khogyani District
Khogyani is a district in the south of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, bordering on Pakistan. Its population is almost entirely Pashtun, and was estimated at 146,852 in 2002. The district centre is the village of Khogyani, though the largest village is Vazir....
, Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais....
, a landmine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
blast killed a female election worker and wounded at least two other people.
- In Afghanistan, a bus on the Kandahar-Kabul highway crashed when the driver lost control, killing eleven people and injuring forty-four.
Friday, July 9 - The Afghan Joint Electoral Management Body announced that Afghanistan's presidential elections would take place on October 9, 2004, and parliamentary would take place elections in the Spring of 2005.
Sunday, July 11 - A bomb exploded in Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
, killing six and injuring 34.
Wednesday, July 14 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai signed a decree to get full cooperation from militia commanders with the Afghan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Program
Afghan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Program
The Afghan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Program was established by the government of Afghanistan to disarm 90,000 former combatants and integrate them into civilian life....
(DDR). The decree stated that those who participate in activities against the DDR process will be considered disloyal and rebellious and will face severe punishment.
Thursday, July 15 - The United Nations removed its 17-person staff via helicopter from Ghor Province after its election office there was attacked by protesters. The mob had been protesting a checkpoint conflict that took place in Chaghcharan
Chaghcharan
Chaghcharān , in historical literature as Chakhcherān, formerly known as Ahangaran, is a town and district in central Afghanistan, which serves as the capital of Ghor Province...
in which government troops killed two local militiamen.
- A moderate earthquakeEarthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
shook several cities in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Friday, July 16 - In the Spin Aghbarqa area in Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, rebels attacked a convoy of U.S. and Afghan National Armysoldiers on patrol along the Kandahar-Kabul highway, triggering a shootout that killed an Afghan Army soldier and an insurgent.
- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard ArmitageRichard Armitage (politician)Richard Lee Armitage, GCMG AC CNZM was the 13th United States Deputy Secretary of State, the second-in-command at the State Department, serving from 2001 to 2005.-Early life and military career:...
visited Kabul.
Saturday, July 17 - U.S. troops captured Taliban leader Ghulam Mohammed Hotak in Wardak Province
Wardak Province
Maidan Wardak Province is one of thirty four provinces of Afghanistan located in the central east region of Afghanistan. It has a population of approximately 540,100. The capital of the province is Maidan Shar...
.
Sunday, July 18 - An estimate 700 people spent nine hours demonstrating in front of government offices in Maydan Shahr, chanting for the release of Taliban leader Ghulam Mohammed Hotak.
- Less than a kilometer from the headquarters of NATO-led peacekeepers, a rocket landed on a house in the Shashdarak section of Kabul, killing a woman.mortally wounding a woman.
Monday, July 19 - In a village in Nawbahar District, Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, five suspected Taliban were caught by U.S. andAfghan National Army soldiers.
- In a village 100 miles northeast of Kandahar, troops confiscated nine motorcycles and about 10 rifles.
- Four men riding two motorcycles attacked two U.S. Humvees on patrol in ArghandabArghandabArghandab may refer to:* Arghandab District of Afghanistan.* Arghandab, Afghanistan, a town in the center of Arghandab District.* Arghandab River of Afghanistan....
, Zabul Province, injuring one soldier. - Dozens of rebels armed with assault rifleAssault rifleAn assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
s attacked the mayor's office in Naish DistrictNaish DistrictNaish is a mountainous district in the northern part of Kandahar Province, shifted from Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. It borders Oruzgan Province to the west, north and east and Shah Wali Kot, Khakrez and Ghorak districts to the south. The population is 11,800 . The district center is the village...
in Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
. One attacker was wounded and detained.
Tuesday, July 20 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai promoted three powerful warlords: General Atta Mohammad was made governor of Balkh province
Balkh Province
Balkh is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country and its name derives from the ancient city of Balkh, near the modern town...
; General Khan Mohammad
Khan Mohammad
Khan Mohammad was a member of Pakistan's first Test team that played against India in 1952. Born in Lahore, Punjab, he was educated at the city's Islamia College. He played in 13 Tests as an opening bowler who shared the new ball with Fazal Mahmood...
was made police chief of Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
; General Hazrat Ali
Hazrat Ali
Hajji Hazrat Ali bin Bahawal Sheir is a military commander in eastern Afghanistan.-Biography:He was born in 1964 and is an ethnic Pashai....
was made police chief of Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar Province
Nangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais....
.
- Afghan security forces captured Mullah AmanullahAmanullahAmanullah or Amanallah is a male Muslim given name meaning the trust or protection of God. It may refer to:*Amānullāh Khān , ruler of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929*Amanullah Khan , several other people called Amanullah Khan...
, a brother-in-law of Mohammed OmarMohammed OmarMullah Mohammed Omar , often simply called Mullah Omar, is the leader of the Taliban movement that operates in Afghanistan. He was Afghanistan's de facto head of state from 1996 to late 2001, under the official title "Head of the Supreme Council"...
, on Tuesday as he drove near Deh RawoodDeh RawoodDeh Rawood is a town in Deh Rahwod District in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. It is located 400 kilometres southwest of Kabul. Since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan the area has been noted as a remaining Taliban stronghold. The area is rural with mountainous, roadless terrain....
, Uruzgan Province. Three remote-controlled bombs and a cell phone as well as an AK-47AK-47The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
were found in his vehicle. - Afghanistan freed 66 Pakistani prisoners caught fighting for the Taliban during the U.S.-led war in late 2001. Pakistan matched the move by releasing 34 Afghan prisoners.
Wednesday, July 21 - Eleven Afghan security personnel were killed in an ambush on their vehicle in Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
.
Thursday, July 22 - Rebels killed a local security chief and 10 of his followers in an ambush in Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
.
- In the district of Mama Karez, rebels attacked U.S. soldiers patrolling in a pickup truck. Three of the attackers were killed during the hour-long gunfight.
- Two rebels on motorcycles opened fire on two pickup trucks carrying Afghan election workers in LashkargahLashkargahLashkar Gah , historically also called Bost, is a city in southern Afghanistan and the capital of Helmand Province, located in Lashkar Gah district. It is situated between the Helmand and Arghandab rivers. Lashkar Gah is linked by highways with Kandahar to the east, Zaranj to the west, and Herat...
.
Friday, July 23 - In Kandahar, a remote-controlled bomb exploded a U.S. military convoy passed, wounding between one and four soldier.
Monday, July 26 - A bomb exploded near a U.S. military vehicle 35 miles east of Qalat, Zabul Province, injuring three American soldiers traveling in an armored Humvee.
- Near central Kabul, a wing of the Jamhuriat HospitalJamhuriat HospitalThe Jamhuriat Hospital is state-owned hospital located in Kabul, Afghanistan. A new 10-story building with the capacity of housing 350 patients was constructed in 2004 by engineers from China. It is expected that the Agha Khan Network may be taking over the management of the hospital....
, being rebuilt by a Chinese-Afghan construction consortium, collapsed, killing four and injuring 26.
Tuesday, July 27 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai formally declared his candidacy for the October 9 presidential elections. He dropped from his ticket Defense Minister Mohammed Fahim
Mohammed Fahim
Mohammad Qasim Fahim is an Afghan military commander, politician and the First Vice President since November 2009. He was the Defense Minister of the Afghan Transitional Administration, beginning in 2002 and also served as Vice President from June 2002 to December 2004...
and replaced him with Ahmad Zia Massood. Karzai named Karim Khalili
Karim Khalili
Abdul Karim Khalili is the current second Vice President of Afghanistan in the administration of President Hamid Karzai. Khalili was appointed first time as Vice President in 2002 and was elected as running mate of Hamid Karzai in 2004...
his choice for second vice president.
Wednesday, July 28 - At a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
being used as a voter registration site in Ghazni Province
Ghazni Province
Ghazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Babur records in his Babur-Nama that Ghazni is also known as Zabulistan It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City...
, a bomb killed six, including two United Nations staff workers.
- Doctors Without Borders announced it was withdrawing its staff from Afghanistan because of security concerns.
- Two rocket-propelled grenades were fired at a construction site in Kabul where South Koreans were building a job training center for the Afghan people. There were no casualties.
Thursday, July 29 - In Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
approved an extra €9 million to help fund the October 7 presidential elections in Afghanistan.
Saturday, July 31 - The United States government warned its citizens that the security situation in Afghanistan remained critical and that there was a general threat to all Americans visiting the nation.
- An Afghan official was killed along with his bodyguard during an ambush by rebels in Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
. At least one other bodyguard was wounded. - In GujranwalaGujranwalaGujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
, Pakistan local police picked up about thirty-five Afghan students (between the ages of six and fourteen) studying at a madressah in the Jamia Muhammadia on the Grand Trunk Road. Officials said the students were residing there without any passport, visaVisa (document)A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
or legal documents which were violation of the Immigration Act. The students would be sent back to Afghanistan to obtain their complete documents and return back for their studies.
August
Sunday, August 1 - A three-day battle began between Afghan National Army and U.S. troops and militants near Zhawara, Khost Province. Coalition ground forces were assisted by U.S. B-1 LancerB-1 Lancer
The Rockwell B-1 LancerThe name "Lancer" is only applied to the B-1B version, after the program was revived. is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force...
, A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
and helicopter gunships. Between 10 and 70 rebels were killed; at least one Afghan soldier was killed.
- Several people were killed in a gunfight between rebels and Afghan forces in Gurbuz DistrictGurbuz DistrictGurbuz District is situated in the southern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan. It borders Tani District to the west, Mando Zayi and Khost districts to the north and Pakistan to the east and south. The population is 23,200 . The district center is the village of Sekhamir Kalay situated in the...
, Khost Province. - In Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, rebels threw grenadeGrenadeA grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
s at the office of a demining group. - In Logar Province, a bomb hit a vehicle carrying a mayor and a judge, killing three of the judge's children.
Wednesday, August 4 - Two Afghans, a field officer and his driver, working for Malteser Germany, a Catholic relief agency, were killed by gunmen in Zormat. As a result of the attack, Malteser suspended its operations in Afghanistan.
- Afghan Defense Minister Mohammed FahimMohammed FahimMohammad Qasim Fahim is an Afghan military commander, politician and the First Vice President since November 2009. He was the Defense Minister of the Afghan Transitional Administration, beginning in 2002 and also served as Vice President from June 2002 to December 2004...
endorsed the presidential candidacy of Hamid Karzai. - At an undisclosed school in Parwan Province, about 100 boy soldiers enroll in the Afghan New Beginnings Program.
Thursday, August 5 - As part of the Combatant Status Review Tribunal
Combatant Status Review Tribunal
The Combatant Status Review Tribunals were a set of tribunals for confirming whether detainees held by the United States at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp had been correctly designated as "enemy combatants". The CSRTs were established July 7, 2004 by order of U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense...
s at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, with hands bound and feet chained to a metal ring in the floor, an Afghan detainee pleaded for his freedom before the first U.S. military review tribunal partially opened to observers.
- In Kabul, authorities charged Reza KhanReza Khan (Taliban)Reza Khan was charged on August 5, 2004 in Kabul, Afghanistan of murder, rape, and robbery involving four journalists on November 19, 2001. Khan was also accused of cutting off the noses and ears of four Afghan men because of their short beards...
of murder, rape and highway robbery involving four foreign journalists on November 19, 2001.
Friday, August 6 - A convoy of ten U.S. vehicles east of Daychopan, Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, was ambushed by about ten rebels who fired rocket propelled grenade
Rocket propelled grenade
A rocket-propelled grenade is a shoulder-fired, anti-tank weapon system which fires rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. These warheads are affixed to a rocket motor and stabilized in flight with fins. Some types of RPG are reloadable while others are single-use. RPGs, with the exception of...
s. One Humvee was struck, injuring five soldiers.
- Rebels set off a roadside IEDImprovised explosive deviceAn improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
near Qalat, Zabul Province, injuring three U.S. soldiers. - In response to the killings of two relief workers on August 4, the UNHCR announced it was scaling operations down in southeastern Afghanistan.
- In Uruzgan Province, rebels ambushed a convoy of Afghan election workers, killing two.
Saturday, August 7 - Two U.S. soldiers and their Afghan interpreter were killed when their Humvee struck a landmine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
positioned along their route in Ghazni Province
Ghazni Province
Ghazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Babur records in his Babur-Nama that Ghazni is also known as Zabulistan It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City...
. A third soldier was wounded.
Tuesday, August 10 - Afghan election officials released the list of approved presidentual candidates for the October 7 election; the list of seventeen included Hamid Karzai, Yunus Qanooni, Mohammed Fahim
Mohammed Fahim
Mohammad Qasim Fahim is an Afghan military commander, politician and the First Vice President since November 2009. He was the Defense Minister of the Afghan Transitional Administration, beginning in 2002 and also served as Vice President from June 2002 to December 2004...
and Abdullah Abdullah
Abdullah Abdullah
Abdullah Abdullah is an Afghan politician and a doctor of medicine. He was an adviser and friend to Ahmad Shah Massoud, legendary anti-Taliban leader and commander known as the "Lion of Panjshir". After the fall of the Taliban regime, Dr. Abdullah served as Afghanistan's Foreign Minister from 2001...
.
Wednesday, August 11 - Mullah Janan, a Taliban military commander, was killed while leading an ambush on a U.S.-Afghan military convoy in Laghman Province.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald RumsfeldDonald RumsfeldDonald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
visited Kabul.
Thursday, August 12 - A U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk crashed in Khost Province
Khost Province
Khost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
, killing at least one soldier and injuring fourteen. Four personnel were seriously injured and evacuated to the hospital at Bargam Air Base.
Tuesday, August 17 - U.S. warplanes bombed the forces of Amanullah
Amanullah
Amanullah or Amanallah is a male Muslim given name meaning the trust or protection of God. It may refer to:*Amānullāh Khān , ruler of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929*Amanullah Khan , several other people called Amanullah Khan...
near Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
. Khan's forces were engaged in fighting the militia backing Herat Province
Herat Province
Herat is one the 34 provinces of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces, it makes up the South-western region of the country...
governor Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
. Amanullah agreed to a cease-fire.
- United Nations Secretary General Kofi AnnanKofi AnnanKofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
reported to the United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
that more than 9.9 million people had registered to vote in Afghanistan, a number that exceeded the estimated total of eligible voters for the whole country.
Wednesday, August 18 - 18-year-old Friba Razayee
Friba Razayee
Friba Rezayee is an Afghan judoka. In 2004, along with Robina Muqimyar, she was the first Afghan woman to participate in the Olympic Games....
became the first woman ever to compete for Afghanistan at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. She competed in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
against Spain's Cecila Blanco.
Thursday, August 19 - A bomb exploded in a U.N.-run voter registration
Voter registration
Voter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
building in Farah
Farah, Afghanistan
Farah is a city in western Afghanistan, situated at 650 m altitude, and located on the Farah River. It is the capital of Farah Province, and has a population of approximately 109,409....
. Several security personnel were injured.
Saturday, August 21 - Three people were killed and two others critically wounded when their pickup truck tried to run a checkpoint in Ghazni Province
Ghazni Province
Ghazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Babur records in his Babur-Nama that Ghazni is also known as Zabulistan It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City...
. An infant in the vehicle was unhurt.
Monday, August 23 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai began a two-day visit in Pakistan, meeting first with Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
.
- Members of the Afghan National Army raided rebel hideouts near the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- Twelve Afghan presidential candidates called for interim president Hamid Karzai to resign and to withdraw from the October 9 election. They argued that as an incumbent, he has an unfair advantage.
Friday, August 27 - Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
warlord Amanullah
Amanullah
Amanullah or Amanallah is a male Muslim given name meaning the trust or protection of God. It may refer to:*Amānullāh Khān , ruler of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929*Amanullah Khan , several other people called Amanullah Khan...
was brought by Afghan authorities from Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
to Kabul and held under arrest.
Saturday, August 28 - In Zabul Province
Zabul Province
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers captured 22 Taliban suspects.
- Ten people, including nine children, were killed after a bomb exploded at a religious school in Paktia ProvincePaktia ProvincePaktia , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the east of the country. Its capital is Gardez. The population is predominantly Pashtun.- History:...
.
Sunday, August 29 - Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
's 16th mountain battalion, commanded by Captain Shavleg Tabatadze, traveled to Germany for a two-week training before they embark on a 100-day mission in Afghanistan.
- At least nine children and one adult were killed when a bomb exploded in a school in Paktia ProvincePaktia ProvincePaktia , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the east of the country. Its capital is Gardez. The population is predominantly Pashtun.- History:...
. - At least nine people were killed and dozens injured when a bomb hidden in a car exploded in front of the DynCorp office in Kabul. Taliban spokesman Mullah Hakim Latifi claimed responsibility.
- In Afghanistan, a Dutch AH-64 ApacheAH-64 ApacheThe Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
on regular patrol over Kabul crashed, slightly injuring one crewman. - In Kandahar, Afghan security forces arrested five men suspected of planning an ambush on U.S. troops., an Afghan official said.
- Iran opened its first bank, Arjan, in Afghanistan.
Monday, August 30 - NATO troops detained a man on the grounds of Kabul Airport and found traces of explosives on his hands. They then turned him over to local authorities.
- The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan e-mailE-mailElectronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
ed U.S. citizens in Kabul, informing them to limit their movements, take strict security measures and avoid "potential target areas" such as government offices, military bases and upscale restaurants frequented primarily by foreigners. - Eight people in Waradesh in Pech district in Kunar ProvinceKunar ProvinceKunar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces...
were killed and an Afghan aid worker injured when U.S. planes bombed the village.
Tuesday, August 31 - In Nangahar Province, security forces arrested two men, Afghan Hesmatullah and Pakistani Shahzada Gul, distributing Taliban leaflets calling for a holy war
Religious war
A religious war; Latin: bellum sacrum; is a war caused by, or justified by, religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to...
against U.S.-led coalition forces and the government.
- Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah traveled to India to discuss a US$400 million Indian aid package for Afghanistan. He met with Natwar Singh and Prime Minister Manmohan SinghManmohan SinghManmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
and other senior officials. - NATO peacekeepers seized dozens of rockets, mortar shells and hand grenadeHand grenadeA hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s from a truck which was trying to enter Kabul. - In Kabul, Afghan intelligence agents arrested a bus driver with several guns and ammunition in his vehicle.
September
Wednesday, September 1 - The Asian Development BankAsian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
pledged US$600 million to Afghanistan over the next three years.
- Near the village of Waradesh, at least six civilians died during a U.S. air raid.
Thursday, September 2 - Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah visited India and met with Natwar Singh and prime minister Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
to discuss a US$400 million Indian aid package for Afghanistan.
- In the Deh Rawood District, militants, armed with guns and grenades, attacked an Afghan National Army checkpoint on a bridge, wounding three soldiers.
- The Afghan National Army, backed by U.S. aircraft and artillery, killed several rebels in Khost ProvinceKhost ProvinceKhost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
.
Friday, September 3 - A jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
packed with explosives detonated at a roadside in the Jaikhoja area of Kandahar, killing one person and seriously injuring two others in a passing taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
.
- A U.S. patrol in the Khost ProvinceKhost ProvinceKhost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
was fired on by rebels travelling in a pickup truck, and a U.S. helicopter fired back, destroying the truck and killing one rebel. - At a security checkpoint in Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, three rebels were killed, and five wounded in a clash. - The Asian Development BankAsian Development BankThe Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
granted US$750,000 to help Afghanistan improve its gas supply. The money was slated to draw a plan to establish an independent regulator for gas supply and help it come up with laws and regulations. - Rebels fired up to four rockets over a U.S.-led civil-military base in Nangarhar ProvinceNangarhar ProvinceNangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais....
, killing one Afghan National Army soldier and injuring another four.
Tuesday, September 7 - In northern Afghanistan, ten humanitarian workers were injured in an attack by demonstrators.
Thursday, September 9 - In Uruzgan Province, rebels attacked a U.S. patrol vehicle with rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and small arms fire, wounding one soldier.
- In Kabul, five rockets were fired the ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
base. Taliban spokesman Mullah Abdul Latif HakimiAbdul Latif HakimiMullah Abdul Latif Hakimi, also known as Latif Hakimi or Hakim Latifi, was a purported spokesman for the Taliban in Afghanistan.Hakimi first claimed a suicide bombing on 28 January 2004, that killed a British soldier in Kabul....
claimed responsibility.
Saturday, September 11 - In Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
, dozens of supporters of Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
gathered outside his home after he was replaced as provincial governor, and began chanting slogans against the United States and Afghan president Hamid Karzai. Shots were fired by U.S. and Afghan security forces after their convoy was pelted with stones. Two people were killed, four injured and four arrested.
Sunday, September 12 - In Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
, hundreds of demonstrators, protesting the previous day's dismissal of Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
, ransacked and set fires at United Nations offices. At least seven people died and dozens more wounded. Later in the day, Khan appeared on television and called for his supporters to exercise restraint. Interim president Hamid Karzai chose Mohammed Khair Khuwa to replace Kahn.
- In Kabul, 363 Pakistanis jailed for fighting alongside the Taliban were released from the Pul-e-Charki jail and allowed to go home.
- An estimated 40 rebels attacked U.S.-led coalition soldiers, prompting two AH-64 ApacheAH-64 ApacheThe Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
helicopters to open fire on the fighters, killing 22. - Rebel gunmen ambushed a U.S.-coalition patrol near Kandahar.
Monday, September 13 - The United Nations withdrew dozens of its staff members from Herat, Afghanistan a day after mobs ransacked its offices.
Tuesday, September 14 - In Herat, Afghanistan, two men in a four-wheel-drive vehicle shot and killed a militiaman loyal to his ousted predecessor, Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
.
Wednesday, September 15 - In Kabul, an Afghan court sentenced Jonathan Idema
Jonathan Idema
Jonathan Keith "Jack" Idema is a convicted felon and con artist who was also found gulty in September 2004 for running a private prison in Afghanistan and torturing Afghan citizens. At the time, Idema had been portraying himself as a U.S. government-sponsored special forces operative on a mission...
and Brent Bennett
Brent Bennett
Brent Bennett is a former US Army paratrooper who was convicted by an Afghan court on 15 September 2004 for participating in torture and kidnapping, and for running a private jail in Kabul...
to 10-year prison terms and Edward Caraballo
Edward Caraballo
Edward Caraballo is an American videographer and investigative photojournalist, specializing in covert photography. He was arrested in Afghanistan in 2004 while documenting the exploits of a vigilante group led by U.S. mercenary Jonathan "Jack" Idema...
to an 8-year term for participating in torture, kidnapping and running a private jail. Their four Afghan accomplices were sentenced to between one and five years in prison.
Thursday, September 16 - A rocket fired on but missed a helicopter carrying Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai as it prepared for landing in Gardez, where Karzai planned to open a school. The helicopter returned to Kabul without touching down in Gardez. Police later captured three suspects who confessed to firing the rockets.
Friday, September 17 - Afghan National Army forces searching for three missing elders kidnapped from the Maruf district
Maruf District
Maruf District is a district in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Arghistan District to the west, Zabul Province to the north and Pakistan to the east and south. The population is 29,300 . The district center is the town of Maruf, located in the northern part of the district...
in Kandahar Province
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, found two of them dead and the third wounded. All had multiple gunshot wounds. The survivor had injuries to the throat and stomach and was taken to the U.S. military base in Kandahar. The elders had been working to register voters.
- In Uruzgan Province, one boy was killed and another wounded during an exchange of fire between U.S.-led coalition forces and rebels.
- Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai eluded his U.S. security guards and drove into the Microrayon District of Kabul, where he walked around and conversed with local citizens.
- The United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
voted unanimously to renew the mandate of the multinational security force in Afghanistan for another year until October 2005.
Saturday, September 18 - In Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, four gunmen riding two motorcycles ambushed the car of a militia commander, killing him and wounding two of his guards.
Sunday, September 19 - Afghanistan held an auction of capital note
Capital note
In structured finance the Capital note is the most junior security issued by a Structured investment vehicle. It is comparable to the Equity Tranche of a CDO...
s to allow its banks to determine a market-driven interest rate. The two winning banks were Millie Bank and Pashtany Bank
Pashtany Bank
Pashtany Bank is the firm controlled by the Afghan government that controls the Central Bank of Afghanistan, the Afghan national insurance company and Ariana Afghan Airlines. It was established in 1954 to manage the Da Afghanistan Bank, the central bank of Afghanistan.Hayat Dayani is the President...
.
- The Afghan National Army established a regional command headquarters in the Kandahar region of Afghanistan.
Monday, September 20 - Afghan interim vice-president Nehmatullah Shahrani survived an assassination attempt when a remote controlled roadside bomb exploded next to his convoy in Kunduz Province.
- In Paktika ProvincePaktika ProvincePaktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
, two U.S. soldiers were killed and two were wounded along with six Afghan National Armytroops in a clash with rebels near the Pakistani border. - U.S. forces killed a rebel during an exchange of fire in the Deh Chopan District of Uruzgan Province.
- In Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
, a U.S. air attack killed six rebels after rebels shot a rocket at a U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk. - Two U.S. soldiers (Robert GoodwinRobert GoodwinRobert Goodwin may refer to:* Robert K. Goodwin, politician* R. W. Goodwin, producer* Robert Goodwin , an Australian Paralympic fencer*R. Booth Goodwin...
and Tony Olaes) were wounded when a homemade bomb destroyed their Humvee in the Shinkay DistrictShinkay DistrictShinkay District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan....
of Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
. The soldiers were flown to Germany for treatment. - Three rockets were fired at the U.S. base in Paktika, landing within 100 yards of the compound.
- A roadside bomb attack on a U.S. convoy in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, caused no injuries.
- U.S. soldier, Wesley Wells, age 21, died when his security patrol was ambushed by rebels in Khost ProvinceKhost ProvinceKhost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
.
Tuesday, September 21 - In New York, Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai attended the opening of the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
.
- Using pamphletPamphletA pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
s, Afghan warlord Gulbuddin HekmatyarGulbuddin HekmatyarGulbuddin Hekmatyar is an Afghan Mujahideen leader who is the founder and leader of the Hezb-e Islami political party and paramilitary group. Hekmatyar was a rebel military commander during the 1980s Soviet war in Afghanistan and was one of the key figures in the civil war that followed the...
warned Afghan refugees in camps in Pakistan not to vote in the October presidential election. - During a search operation in Kalatak village, Afghan National Army forces arrested Taliban commander Mullah Usman.
Wednesday, September 22 - About 130 paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division
U.S. 82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an active airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute landing operations. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 82nd Airborne Division is the primary fighting arm of the XVIII Airborne Corps....
left from Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
to Afghanistan to help provide security for the October elections there.
- Near Poshakan village in Uruzgan Province, a shootout began when two men on a motorcycle refused to stop when U.S. troops confronted them. The two men were killed. One was identified as local Taliban commander Mullah Dur Mohammed.
Friday, September 24 - The Asian Development Bank
Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
approved a loan to Afghanistan of US$5 million and a guarantee of US$10 million to provide political risk guarantees to eligible investors and financiers.
- Six Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
RAF Harrier IIRAF Harrier IIThe British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing jet aircraft used previously by the Royal Air Force and, between 2006–2010, the Royal Navy. Derived from the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, which was a development of the Hawker...
GR7 aircraft along with 315 British troops set off for Kandahar to replace six U.S. AV-8B Harrier II jets as part of a routine rotation of forces. - A message from 300 elders of the Terezay tribe was broadcast by radio in Khost ProvinceKhost ProvinceKhost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
telling its members they must vote for Hamid Karzai in presidential elections in October or their houses would be burned.
Saturday, September 25 - former Camp X-Ray
Camp X-Ray
Camp X-Ray was a temporary detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp of Joint Task Force Guantanamo on the U.S. Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.The first twenty detainees arrived at Guantanamo on January 11, 2002....
prisoner and Taliban leader Maulvi
Maulvi
Mawlawi is an honorific Islamic religious title given to Sunni Muslim religious scholars or Ulema preceding their names, similar to the titles Maulana, Mullah, or Shaykh. Mawlawi generally means highly-qualified Islamic scholar...
Abdul Ghaffar was among three rebel fighters killed during a raid in Char Cheno District, Uruzgan Province.
- Char Cheno District chief Malem Wali Jan was killed in a rebel attack during a security convoy in Uruzgan Province.
- Rebels killed nine Afghan National Army soldiers in attacks on several security posts in Helmand ProvinceHelmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
.
Sunday, September 26 - Iran announced that since March 20, more than 30,000 Afghan refugees had left the city of Isfahan
Isfahan (city)
Isfahan , historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 km south of Tehran. It has a population of 1,583,609, Iran's third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad...
to return to their country.
- Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai and General Abdul Rashid DostumAbdul Rashid DostumAbdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
were present at a road project inauguration Shiberghan.
Tuesday, September 28 - Afghan General Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
held a rally in Shiberghan for his presidential campaign bid and outlined his campaign issues.
Wednesday, September 29 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai inaugurated the Afghan National Museum in Kabul.
- Rebels attacked a government building the Khake Afghan District, Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
in a clash that left at least three soldiers and four militants dead. - Rebels attacked a convoy of U.S. and Afghan forces in Zabul ProvinceZabul ProvinceZabul is a historic province of Afghanistan. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol, on the Iranian side of the border with Afghanistan.- Political and security situation...
. - Four people were injured, one seriously, when two rockets were fired on the German Provincial Reconstruction TeamProvincial reconstruction teamA Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...
in KunduzKunduzKunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north...
.
Thursday, September 30 - In Orgun
Orgun
-External links:*...
, two Afghan National Army soldiers were killed and seven wounded in a land mine attack on their convoy.
October
Friday, October 1 - In Pakistan, hundreds of Afghan refugees, including women, lined up at special voting registration centers near QuettaQuetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
and Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
.
- Former Afghan Education Minister Yunus Qanooni held a rally in HeratHeratHerāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
that drew several hundred people. - Near the city of Spin BoldakSpin BoldakSpin Boldak or Spin Buldak is a border town in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, right next to the Durand Line border with Pakistan. It is linked by a highway with the city of Kandahar to the north, and with Chaman and Quetta in Pakistan to the south. Spin Boldak has the second major...
, Afghan National Army authorities arrested 60 rebels who were planning to derail the upcoming presidential election.
Saturday, October 2 - Afghan presidential candidate Yunus Qanuni
Yunus Qanuni
Yunus Qanuni is a politician in Afghanistan. An ethnic Tajik from the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan, Qanuni is the leader of the Afghanistan e Naween political party and former Speaker of the House of the People .-Pre Election...
held a rally in Kandahar.
- Karim KhaliliKarim KhaliliAbdul Karim Khalili is the current second Vice President of Afghanistan in the administration of President Hamid Karzai. Khalili was appointed first time as Vice President in 2002 and was elected as running mate of Hamid Karzai in 2004...
, the running-mate of Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai, held a rally at the Herat Airport. - In Policharki district, local intelligence agents backed by ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
peacekeepers arrested 25 people allegedly linked to the Taliban. - Rebels killed two guards at the home of a former senior official in Uruzgan Province.
Sunday, October 3 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai visited Germany, where he met Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer
Joschka Fischer
Joseph Martin "Joschka" Fischer is a German politician of the Alliance '90/The Greens. He served as Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany in the cabinet of Gerhard Schröder from 1998 to 2005...
and accepted a prize from the private organization Werkstatt Deutschland.
- Three members of a Japanese election monitoring team arrived in Kabul.
Tuesday, October 5 - Afghan interim president Hamid Karzai flew to Ghazni
Ghazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
to speak to a crowd of about 5,000. While airborne, his helicopter was escorted by a U.S. AH-64 Apache
AH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
and an A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
.
- Yunus QanuniYunus QanuniYunus Qanuni is a politician in Afghanistan. An ethnic Tajik from the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan, Qanuni is the leader of the Afghanistan e Naween political party and former Speaker of the House of the People .-Pre Election...
held a presidential campaign rally before 2,000 people at a Kabul football stadium. - In Mazari Sharif, Rashid Dostum held a presidential campaign rally.
- In Kandahar ProvinceKandahar ProvinceKandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
, seven policemen were killed when their vehicle drove over a landmineLand mineA land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
.
Wednesday, October 6 - In Badakhshan Province
Badakhshan Province
Badakhshan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 28 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.-Geography:...
, an assassination attempt on vice-presidential candidate Ahmed Zia Massood killed one person and injured five others, including the former provincial governor.
Thursday, October 7 - In Moscow, Russia, Russia and France signed an agreement on military transits to Afghanistan via Russia. Signing for Russia was Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and for France, Jean Cadet, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia.
Friday, October 8 - In London, England, the trial began for former Afghan warlord Zardad Khan.
Saturday, October 9 - In Afghanistan's first-ever direct presidential election, Hamid Karzai was elected President of Afghanistan
President of Afghanistan
Afghanistan has only been a republic between 1973 and 1992 and from 2001 onwards. Before 1973, it was a monarchy that was governed by a variety of kings, emirs or shahs...
.
Monday, October 11 - The Czech Republic voted to donate surplus weaponry (including submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
, hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s and signal rockets) to the Afghan National Army.
Tuesday, October 12 - In Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
hosted a meeting of United Nations officials and international policy-makers to address the heroin problem arising from Afghanistan.