Overview

Prior to 2002, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was engulfed in a civil war spanning over 20 years. Afghanistan's political, economic, and social framework has been ravaged by perpetual conflict – the Mujahideen uprisings against the Soviet-backed communist government in Kabul in the early 1970s were followed by the nine-year Soviet invasion and occupation, with tribal strife then dividing the country and leading to the rise of the Taliban. Following the U.S.-led invasion of...