Postcolonial Afghanistan

Afhganistan throughout the years since the declaration of independence in this photo gallery by ITAR-TASS

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On August 19, 1919, Afghanistan achieved full independence from the British Empire. King Amanullah Khan declared Afghanistan a sovereign and fully independent state. Photo: ruins of the Darulaman Palace, the former palace of King Amanullah

After the declaration of independence, modernisation reforms were put in place. Though meeting strong opposition from religious and tribal leaders, the efforts had results. Photo: a view of the Afghan capital, Kabul, in 1969

Mohammed Zahir Shah (photo) was the last King of Afghanistan. He was ousted by Mohammed Daoud Khan in 1973. Mohammed Zahir Shah then lived in exile for 29 years and returned to Afghanistan in 2002

After the coup in 1973 Afghanistan was declared a republic. Photo: a street lined with tiny shops in the center of old Kabul, 1973

Mohammed Daoud (photo) became the first President of Afghanistan.

During the Cold War, Afghanistan aligned with neither of the power blocs which was a beneficiary as both sides participated in building the country's main highways, airports and the infrastructure. Photo: a view of Kabul in 1979

In April 1978, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan came to power in Afghanistan in the Saur Revolution. President Daoud and members of his family were executed

By late 1979, civil war had spread throughout the country

Radical islamists, the Mujahideen, fought against the government forces

The Soviet Union brought its troops into Afghanistan to support the Communist government in December, 1979

The Soviet troops were withdrawn 10 years after, in 1989

After the Soviet Forces were withdrawn, the civil war flared up again. Photo: A Mujahideen with a US-made Stinger surface-to-air missile, 1991

In April, 1992, the insurgents seized the capital, Kabul and put an end to Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

In 1996, Kabul was seized by the fighters of the Taliban movement which established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Photo: a Taliban soldier instructs a bypasser to go to pray in a mosque in Kabul, 1996

From 1996 to 2001, the al-Qaeda terrorist network of Osama bin Laden (photo) was harbored by the Taliban in Afghanistan

After the September 11 attacks the US demanded that Bin Laden be handed over, but the Taliban refused

In October 2001, the US started a military operation aimed at removing the Taliban from power and dispelling Al-Qaeda. Then the UN Security Council established the International Security Assistance Force to help the newgovernment under Hamid Karzai

By the end of 2014, the Afghan government is to assume full control of the country, and the foreign forces are scheduled to leave

Over the past few years the total area sown to opium poppy in Afghanistan has grown to 250,000 hectares. In case of destabilization of the country, the drug problem is likely to affect other countries of the region

Afghan police officials stand beside the portrait of Afghan King Ghazi Amanullah Khan during a ceremony to mark the Independence Day in Jalalabad, Afghanistan

On August 19 Afghanistan marks Independence Day. On that day in 1919, Afghanistan achieved full independence from the British Empire. King Amanullah Khan declared Afghanistan a sovereign and fully independent state.