Afghanistan - History
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Mazar Shrine |
Photo: Chris Johnson/Oxfam |
Afghanistan has a history that goes back 5000 years, and rich cultural
traditions. It has produced beautiful buildings, decorative tiles
and mosaics, skillfully woven rugs and carpets, and has a long tradition
of poetry and song. Its capital Kabul (now largely in ruins) was
once greatly admired for its architecture.
But the most important thing to know about it is that its position
on trade routes between the Far East and Asia and the Middle East
and Europe, and its location between the competing British and Russian
Empires, has meant that for centuries many different countries tried
to gain power and influence here.
In December 1979, 100,000 soldiers from what was then the Soviet
Union entered the country to support an unpopular national government.
Conservative rural tribesmen (mujahadeen), supported by the
USA and Pakistan, fought against them. The Soviet troops could not
defeat the mujahadeen and left Afghanistan in 1989, but fighting
continued between different Afghan groups. In 1996 the Taliban,
who wanted to form a strict Islamic government, managed to take
control of most of the country.
The terrorist attacks in America on 11 September 2001 shocked the
world. The governments of the USA, the UK, and some other countries
think that Osama bin Laden and his al-Q'aida network were responsible.
They also believed that Bin Laden was supported by what was then
the ruling Taliban government in Afghanistan.
For some time the USA, backed by the UK and other countries, bombed
what they thought to be Bin Laden's bases, training camps and hideouts
inside Afghanistan. This enabled anti-Taliban forces to take control
of the country.
The Taliban have been replaced by an interim government in Kabul
which has brought some change to people's lives. Following difficult
and prolonged negotiations between Afghan leaders a moderate candidate
from the majority Pashtun ethnic group emerged as interim Head of
State.
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Kabul the capital city of Afghanistan now
lies in ruins as war has destroyed many of the buildings.
Those people who still live there struggle to survive.
Photo: Jenny Matthews/Oxfam |
However for many ordinary Afghans, all over the country, the future
is stilll insecure and uncertain.
Introduction
|| History
|| Geography
& Environment
People
& Society || Factfile
|| Oxfam in Afghanistan
|| Other resources
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