Chronology of Events

revised on 3 November 2020

Afghanistan

August 2022

On 29 August, the Security Council convened for an open briefing on Afghanistan to discuss the “humanitarian and economic situation and other consequences of the US and NATO military intervention in the country” (S/PV.9118). The meeting was requested by Russia. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan Markus Potzel participated in the meeting.

June 2022

On 23 June, the Security Council convened for an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on Afghanistan (S/PV.9075). The briefers were: Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths; Deputy Special Representative and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan Ramiz Alakbarov; Afghan women’s rights activist and consultant for VOICE Amplified Yalda Royan; and BBC journalist Yalda Hakim. Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.

May 2022

On 12 May, Council members convened for closed consultations to discuss the increased restrictions on the human rights and freedoms of girls and women imposed by the Taliban. The meeting was requested by Norway. Special Representative and head of UNAMA Deborah Lyons briefed, apparently providing an update on her recent engagement with the Taliban, including her meeting with the Taliban that took place in the week commencing 9 May.

On 24 May, Council members issued a press statement (SC/14902) which expressed deep concern regarding the increasing erosion of respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan by the Taliban, including through imposition of restrictions that limit access to education, employment, freedom of movement, and women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in public life. The statement emphasised that these restrictions contradict the expectations of the international community and the commitments made by the Taliban to the Afghan people. The press statement further called on the Taliban to swiftly reverse these policies and practices and addressed other issues, including terrorism, drug trafficking, and the humanitarian and economic situations in the country.

April 2022

On 20 April, Council members issued a press statement that condemned a 19 April terrorist attack against the Abdul Rahim-e Shahid High School and Mumtaz Education Centre in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of Kabul (SC/14866). Several people were killed and dozens were wounded in the attack. The press statement also reaffirmed the right to education for all Afghans and its contribution to the achievement of peace and security.

On 22 April, Council members issued a press statement that condemned the string of terrorist attacks that took place in Afghanistan on 21 April, including the attack against the Seh Dokan Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif and a separate attack in Kunduz, both of which were claimed by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of ISIL/Da’esh (SC/14879). The attacks resulted in dozens of deaths and many more injured and followed other attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including in religious minority communities, across Afghanistan.

On 30 April, Council members issued a press statement that condemned continued terrorist attacks targeting civilians in Afghanistan, including the attack against the Mawlawi Sekander mosque in Kunduz on 22 April, which killed more than 25 people and injured dozens, the attack against two minibuses in Mazar-e-Sharif on 28 April which was claimed by ISKP and resulted in more than nine people killed and several wounded, and the attack against the Khalifa Sahib mosque in Kabul on 29 April, where early reports indicated that at least 30 people were killed and many more injured (SC/14880).

March 2022

On 2 March, Special Representative and head of UNAMA Deborah Lyons briefed the Council on the situation in Afghanistan and the work of UNAMA (S/PV.8984). Mariam Safi, the Executive Director of the Organisation for Policy Research and Development Studies, also briefed. Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. The meeting was followed by closed consultations.

On 17 March, the Council adopted resolution 2626, which extended UNAMA’s mandate until 17 March 2023. Fourteen members voted in favour of the resolution, with Russia abstaining.

On 25 March, Lyons briefed Council members under “any other business” on the Taliban’s decision to prevent girls from attending secondary school. The discussion was requested by Albania, France, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, the UAE, the UK, and the US.

On 27 March, Council members issued a press statement that expressed deep concern regarding the reported decision by the Taliban to deny girls above the sixth grade access to education in Afghanistan (SC/14842). The press statement also reaffirmed the right to education for all Afghans, including girls, and called on the Taliban to respect the right to education and adhere to their commitments to reopen schools for all female students without further delay.

January 2022

On 26 January, the Council convened for an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on Afghanistan (S/PV.8954). Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre chaired the first part of the meeting and Secretary-General António Guterres made introductory remarks. Special Representative and head of UNAMA Deborah Lyons and Afghan women’s rights defender and Executive Director of the Afghan Women Skills Development Centre Mahbouba Seraj briefed. The Chair of the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee, Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti (India), provided the annual briefing on the Committee’s activities. Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.

December 2021

On 17 December, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2611, which renewed the mandate of the Monitoring Team supporting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee for a period of one year.

On 22 December, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2615. Among other matters, this resolution decided that humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan are not a violation of the assets freeze imposed by the 1988 sanctions regime.

November 2021

On 3 November, Council members issued a press statement that condemned the 2 November terrorist attack against the Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital in Kabul (SC/14686). The attack, which was claimed by ISKP, killed and injured dozens.

On 17 November, the Council convened for a briefing from Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative and head of UNAMA (S/PV.8908). Lyons briefed on the situation in Afghanistan and UNAMA’s work. Freshta Karim, Director of Charmaghz, a non-governmental organisation based in Kabul that works with children, also briefed. Representatives of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Tajikistan participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. The briefing was followed by closed consultations.

October 2021

On 9 October, Council members issued a press that condemned the 8 October terrorist attack on the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque in Kunduz (SC/14658). The attack was claimed by ISKP and resulted in more than 150 casualties.

On 15 October, Council members issued a press statement that condemned the terrorist attack against the Imam Bargah-e-Fatima Mosque in Kandahar that took place on the same day (SC/14665). Thirty people were killed and more than 50 were injured in the attack. The press statement also referred to several other attacks against religious institutions in Afghanistan, including the 8 October attack on the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque in Kunduz.

September 2021

On 9 September, the Council held its quarterly meeting on Afghanistan. Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative and head of UNAMA, briefed on recent developments and the Secretary-General’s latest report on UNAMA (S/2021/759). Among other matters, Lyons discussed the looming humanitarian crisis and the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. The Council was also briefed by Wazhma Frogh, the founder of the Women and Peace Studies Organisation, and Malala Yousafzai, the Chair of the Malala Fund.

On 17 September, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2596, which extended UNAMA’s mandate until 17 March 2022 and requested that the Secretary-General submit a written report on strategic and operational recommendations for the mission’s mandate in light of recent political, security and social developments by 31 January 2022. The resolution also asked the Secretary-General to brief the Council on the situation in Afghanistan and UNAMA’s work every other month until 17 March 2022.

August 2021

On 3 August, Council members issued a press statement regarding the escalating violence in Afghanistan (SC/14592). Among other matters, Council members expressed deep concern about the high levels of violence in Afghanistan and called for an immediate reduction of violence. Council members also expressed concern about human rights abuses and violations in communities affected by the conflict.

On 6 August, the Council convened for a briefing and closed consultations on Afghanistan (S/PV.8831). Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative and head of UNAMA, briefed. Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ghulam M. Isaczai, participated in the briefing under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. The meeting was requested by Estonia and Norway, the co-penholders on Afghanistan, to discuss recent developments, including the escalating Taliban military offensive and a 30 July attack on a UNAMA compound in Herat.

On 16 August, the Council convened for a briefing and closed consultations on Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul the previous day (S/PV.8834). The Secretary-General briefed, and Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ghulam M. Isaczai, participated under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. In his statement, the Secretary-General said the UN had received “chilling reports of severe restrictions on human rights throughout the country” and noted that he was particularly concerned by accounts of violations of the rights of women and girls. He also called on the Council to “use all tools at [its] disposal” to suppress the threat of terrorism in Afghanistan and guarantee that basic human rights would be respected. He further noted that the UN intended to stay in Afghanistan and urged the international community to remain united.

Following the meeting, Council members issued a press statement on Afghanistan (SC/14604). Among other matters, the statement expressed concern about reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses, stressed the need to bring perpetrators to justice, and called for greater efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and allow unhindered access for humanitarian actors. Council members also called for the establishment of a new government with the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women, as well as urgent talks to resolve the crisis of authority and arrive at a peaceful settlement.

On 27 August, Council members issued a press statement regarding the terrorist attack near the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that took place on 26 August (SC/14615). The Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed at least 183 people and wounded at least 150 others. Among other matters, Council members reiterated the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan and their support for the work of UNAMA. Council members also called on all relevant parties to respect and facilitate the safe evacuation of civilians.

June 2021

On 11 June, Council members issued a press statement regarding an attack on humanitarian mine clearance workers in Afghanistan (SC/14548). Among other matters, Council members reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable. Council members also reaffirmed the need for all states to combat threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts in accordance with the UN Charter and their obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law, and international humanitarian law.

On 22 June, the Security Council held its quarterly meeting on Afghanistan via VTC (S/2021/601). Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative and head of UNAMA, briefed on the Secretary-General’s 15 June report on UNAMA (S/2021/570). Ghada Fathi Waly, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Mary Akrami, the Executive Director of the Afghan Women’s Network, also briefed the Council. Lyons noted that the Taliban’s advances in the country are significant and cautioned that the group is seizing areas surrounding provincial capitals in order to position itself to take those centres once foreign forces are fully withdrawn.

May 2021

On 3 May, Council members issued a press statement regarding a terrorist attack that took place at Pul-e-Alam in Logar province on 30 April (SC/14510). At least 21 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded during the attack. Among other matters, Council members condemned the attack and expressed deep concern about the continuing high level of violence and the security situation in Afghanistan.

On 10 May, Council members issued a press statement regarding a terrorist attack that took place at Dasht-e-Barchi in Kabul on 8 May (SC/14515). This attack, which happened near a school, killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 150 civilians. Among other matters, Council members reaffirmed the right to education and its contribution to the achievement of peace and security and expressed grave concern about the significant number of attacks on schools and education facilities in Afghanistan.

March 2021

On 12 March, Council members issued a press statement regarding targeted attacks against civilians in Afghanistan (SC/14464). Among other matters, they expressed deep concern regarding the increase in such attacks since the intra-Afghan peace talks began on 12 September 2020 and stressed the need to bring perpetrators to justice. Council members also emphasised the importance of an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process that aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive political settlement.

On 23 March, the Security Council held its quarterly meeting on Afghanistan via VTC (S/2021/291). Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative and head of UNAMA, briefed on the Secretary-General’s 12 March report on UNAMA (S/2021/252). Shaharzad Akbar, the chairperson of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), also briefed the Council.

December 2020

On 17 December, Council members held an open VTC meeting on the situation in Afghanistan (S/2020/1274). Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative and head of UNAMA, briefed on recent developments and the Secretary-General’s 9 December report on UNAMA (S/2020/1182). Among other matters, Lyons discussed the intra-Afghan peace talks and the impact of COVID-19 in Afghanistan. The Council was also briefed by Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani (Indonesia), the Chair of the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee, and Shkula Zadran, Afghanistan’s Youth Representative to the UN.

On 18 December, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2557, which renewed the mandate of the Monitoring Team supporting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee until 17 December 2021.

November 2020

On 5 November, Council members issued a press statement regarding a terrorist attack at Kabul University on 2 November (SC/14349). This attack killed at least 22 people and wounded dozens more. Council members expressed grave concern over the continuing violence in Afghanistan and reaffirmed that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

On 20 November, Estonia, Germany and Indonesia, together with non-Council members Afghanistan, Finland, Norway, and Qatar, co-sponsored an Arria formula meeting on the peace process in Afghanistan. The briefers were Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative and head of UNAMA; Fatima Gailani, a member of the Afghan Government’s negotiating team; and Laurel Miller, Asia Director at the International Crisis Group. Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also delivered remarks. The Chair’s summary of this meeting was subsequently circulated to Council members (S/2020/1169).

October 2020

On 27 October, members of the Security Council issued a press statement strongly condemning the 24 October attack that took place near the Kawsar e Danish educational centre in Kabul (SC/14338). The attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), killed 24 peoplemost of whom were young students—and injured more than 50 civilians. Council members expressed concern over the high levels of civilian casualties in Afghanistan and called for sustained efforts to reduce violence.  

September 2020

On 3 September, Council members held an open VTC meeting on the situation in Afghanistan (S/2020/891). Deborah Lyons, Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, briefed on recent developments and the Secretary-General’s report on UNAMA, issued on 18 August. The Council was also briefed by Saad Mohseni, Chief Executive of MOBY GROUP, which includes Afghanistan’s largest media company. On 12 September, significant progress was made in the Afghan peace process, as the negotiation teams of the Afghan Government and the Taliban met in Doha, Qatar, for the first round of intra-Afghan talks, which are aimed at achieving a political settlement to the war in Afghanistan. On 15 September, the Security Council adopted resolution 2543 which renewed the mandate of UNAMA for another year, until 17 September 2021. On 18 September, in a press statement, Council members welcomed the start of the negotiations in Doha (SC/14310). 

June 2020

On 25 June, Council members held an open VTC meeting, followed by a closed VTC session, on the situation in Afghanistan. Deborah Lyons, Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, briefed on recent developments and the Secretary-General’s 17 June report on UNAMA. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of UNODC, and Shaharzad Akbar, chairperson of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), also briefed the Council. On 30 June, Council members issued a press statement (SC/14237) in which they reaffirmed the UN’s role in promoting peace in Afghanistan and welcomed regional and international efforts to facilitate intra-Afghan negotiations. Council members welcomed the steps taken by the Afghan Government and the Taliban to move toward negotiations, including the partial implementation of the commitments to release prisoners, and called for the swift release of remaining prisoners and a reduction of violence to facilitate the commencement of direct talks. They further called for inclusive and meaningful peace negotiations with the participation of women and youth, while emphasizing that “gains made in the last 19 years, including in the field of human rights, especially the rights of women, children and minorities, must be protected and built upon”. Members of the Security Council reaffirmed the importance of the Secretary-General’s call for a comprehensive ceasefire in Afghanistan and expressed concern over the recent increase in violence in the country, while strongly condemning the 27 June killing of two AIHRC employees in Kabul. 

March 2020

On 10 March, the Security Council adopted resolution 2513, which welcomed the progress towards a political settlement of the war in Afghanistan facilitated by the 29 February “Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan” signed by the US and the Taliban and the “Joint Declaration for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan” issued by the US and the Afghan Government. On 26 March, Council members issued a press statement in which they condemned a terrorist attack that took place at a Sikh-Hindu temple in Kabul on 25 March 2020. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant–Khorasan Province claimed responsibility for the attack, which resulted in the death of at least 25 people. On 31 March, Security Council members held an informal video teleconference meeting on the situation in Afghanistan and the activities of UNAMA. Ingrid Hayden, Deputy Special Representative of UNAMA, briefed Council members on the latest Secretary-General’s report on UNAMA, issued on 17 March (S/2020/210). Council members agreed on press elements afterwards, in which they expressed concern at the impact of COVID-19 in Afghanistan and called on all Afghan parties to implement a comprehensive ceasefire and ensure access to humanitarian aid. They further called on the political leadership in Afghanistan to settle their differences and expressed hope that intra-Afghan negotiations will commence without delay while bearing in mind the difficulties posed by the spread of COVID-19.

December 2019

On 16 December, the Council held its quarterly meeting on Afghanistan. Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, briefed on the Secretary-General’s latest report on UNAMA and the most recent developments. Aisha Khurram, Afghanistan’s current Youth Representative to the UN, also briefed. Also on 16 December, the Council adopted resolution 2501, renewing for 12 months the mandate of the Monitoring Team assisting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee.

October 2019

On 2 October, Council members issued a press statement on the 28 September presidential elections. On 21 October, Council members issued a press statement condemning in the strongest terms a terrorist attack on 18 October in the Haska Mena district in Nangarhar Province. The attack resulted in the death of at least 60 people and almost 60 injured.

September 2019

On 10 September, the Council held a debate on Afghanistan, considering the latest Secretary-General’s report on UNAMA. Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA; Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani (Indonesia), chair of the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee; and Yuri Fedotov, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, briefed. On 11 September, the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee met in informal consultations and heard briefings by Special Representative Yamamoto, along with Afghanistan’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Adela Raz. On 17 September, Council members unanimously adopted resolution 2489, renewing the mandate of UNAMA until 17 September 2020. On 19 September, Council members issued a press statement condemning in the strongest terms the “continuing high number of attacks” in Afghanistan. Those attacks included several claimed by the Taliban: in Qalat, Zabul Province, on 19 September, resulting in at least 20 people killed and more than 95 people injured; in Kabul; and in Charikar, Parwan Province, on 17 September, resulting in at least 38 civilians killed and more than 80 civilians injured.

July 2019

On 3 July, Council members issued a press statement condemning in the strongest terms a terrorist attack claimed by the Taliban on 1 July in Kabul. The attack resulted in the death of at least 35 people and more than 70 injured. On 26 July, the Council had a meeting following a recent trip to Afghanistan by a high-level UN delegation with a focus on women, peace and security. The delegation, which was in Afghanistan from 20-21 July, was led by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and included Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund Natalia Kanem, and the Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. Briefings were given by Mohammed, DiCarlo and women’s rights activist Jamila Afghani who participated in the 7-8 July intra-Afghan talks in Doha.

June 2019

On 19 June, the Council held its quarterly meeting on Afghanistan in the format of a debate. Briefings were given by the Special Representative and head of UNAMA, Tadamichi Yamamoto, and Sima Samar, a women’s rights activist, chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and member of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation.

April 2019

On 15 April, Council members issued press statement condemning the announcement by the Taliban of a spring offensive, underscoring that calls for more fighting will not contribute to making a sustainable peace, and calling on all conflict parties to seize the opportunity to begin an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations that result in a political settlement. 

March 2019

On 15 March, the Council unanimously adopted as a “technical rollover” resolution 2460 extending the mandate of UNAMA for six months. Although Council members held several rounds of negotiations and bilateral meetings, no agreement could be reached on the original draft resolution after which the decision was made to pursue a technical rollover. The US and China were deadlocked on whether to maintain a reference to the Belt and Road Initiative in the context of welcoming regional economic cooperation. Ahead of the adoption, on 11 March, the Council held a briefing followed by consultations on the situation in Afghanistan. Briefers included Special Representative and head of UNAMA, Tadamichi Yamamoto; Afghanistan’s National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib; and Deputy Executive Director of the Afghan Women’s Network Storai Tapesh. The discussion during the meeting centred on, among other things, the political situation including the preparations for the 2019 presidential elections, ongoing negotiations on reaching a political solution, and security and humanitarian situation in the country.

January 2019

On 3 January, Council members issued a press statement condemning the terrorist attack in northern Sar-e-Pul Province and Balkh Province on 31 December 2018, targeted at the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, resulting in at least 27 security forces killed and 20 injured. On 30 January, the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee held joint informal consultations with the 1267/1989/2253 Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, receiving a briefing on their Monitoring Teams’ December 2018 visit to Afghanistan. The meeting was followed by informal consultations of the 1988 Committee also focusing on the visit.

December 2018

On 3 December, the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee held informal consultations and was briefed by a representative from UNODC on opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. On 10 December, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the outcome of the Geneva Afghanistan Conference that took place on 27-28 November 2018. On 17 December, the Council held its quarterly debate on UNAMA. Briefers were: Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNAMA Tadamichi Yamamoto; UNODC Executive Director Yuri Fedotov; Ambassador Kairat Umarov (Kazakhstan), chair of the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee; and Ghizaal Haress, member of Afghanistan’s Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution. On 26 December 2018, Council members issued a press statement condemning, in the strongest terms, the 24 December terrorist attack in Kabul that resulted in at least 43 people killed and 27 injured.

October 2018

On 18 October, ahead of the parliamentary and district council elections scheduled for 20 October, Security Council members issued a press statement condemning recent attacks and underscoring the importance of a secure environment for the elections. On 23 October, after the elections took place, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the holding of the elections while noting the difficult security environment and that voting in Kandahar, which was postponed, needs to take place.

September 2018

On 11 September, Council members issued a press statement condemning the 5 September terrorist attack in Kabul claimed by ISIL and the 11 September attack in Nangarhar. On 17 September, the Council held the quarterly debate on UNAMA. Briefings were provided by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNAMA, Tadamichi Yamamoto, and Ramiz Bakhtiar, the newly-elected Youth Representative of Afghanistan to the UN for 2018.

July 2018

On 2 July, Council members issued a press statement condemning, “in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack that took place in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on 1 July”. On 23 July, the Council adopted a presidential statement on the electoral process in Afghanistan, following the conclusion of the voter registration process on 18 July for this year’s parliamentary and district council elections and for the 2019 presidential elections.

June 2018

On 26 June, the Council held its quarterly debate on UNAMA. Special Representative of the Secretary-General Tadamichi Yamamoto, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Yury Fedotov; and Under-Secretary-General of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov briefed. The Council issued press statements in relation to terrorist attacks (SC/13386) and the temporary ceasefire announced by the Afghan Government and the three-day partial ceasefire announced by the Taliban (SC/13376 and SC/13385).

April 2018

On 23 April, Council members issued a press statement condemning the ISIL terrorist attack on a voter registration centre in Kabul that resulted in the deaths of at least 50 and injury to about 100 people.

March 2018

On 8 March, the Council held a debate on the situation in Afghanistan with a briefing by Special Representative of the Secretary‑General for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto,  Deputy Chairperson of the High Peace Council Habibi Sarabi, and Executive Director of the Organization for Policy Research and Development Studies Mariam Safi. Yamamoto briefed on the latest UNAMA report, the security situation, the preparation for the elections, and the conference of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation, which endorsed the call for direct talks between the Government and the Taliban. Sarabi and Safi centred their briefings on women’s rights and the role of women in the Afghan peace process. Ahead of the debate, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2405 which extended the mandate of UNAMA for another year, while also welcoming the strategic review of the mission and calling for implementation of its recommendations. On 15 March, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the convening of the Kabul Process conference and calling on the Taliban to accept the offer of direct talks with the Government. On 21 March, Council members condemned the terrorist attack in Kabul, claimed by ISIL, which resulted in at least 33 people killed and 65 injured.

January 2018

On 5 January, Council members issued a press statement condemning the ISIL terrorist attack on Kabul the day before in which at least 15 people were killed and 25 injured. From 13 to 15 January, the Council conducted a visiting mission to Afghanistan. The main purpose of the mission was to reiterate the Council’s support for Afghanistan and its Government’s efforts to restore peace and stability, and to provide the Council with a better understanding of the situation on the ground. During the visit, the Council met with a wide range of stakeholders in the country. These included the President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani; Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah; and other senior government officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Salahuddin Rabbani, Chairman of the High Peace Council Mohammad Khalili, and several other ministers. The Council also held meetings with representatives of women’s NGOs, civil society, electoral management bodies, UNAMA and NATO’s Resolute Support Mission. The Council held a briefing on the mission on 17 January. On 19 January, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, chaired a ministerial-level debate on “Building Regional Partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a Model to Link Security and Development”. Rabbani and representatives of the Central Asian countries also addressed the Council. During the debate, the Council adopted a presidential statement which emphasised the importance of advancing regional, interregional and international cooperation to achieve stability and sustainable development in Afghanistan and the Central Asian region. On 22 January, council members issued a press statement condemning the terrorist attack at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, which resulted in 22 people killed and nine injured. On 25 January, Council members issued a press statement condemning the terrorist attack in Jalalabad targeting international humanitarian organisations, which resulted in at least five people killed and numerous injured.

October 2017

On 17 October, members of the Security Council issued a press statement, condemning terrorist attacks that took place in Paktia, Ghazni and Kabul on that day, which resulted in more than 70 people killed and over 200 wounded, for which the Taliban has claimed responsibility (SC/13034).

September 2017

On 25 September, the Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan which focused on the most recent UNAMA report. Special Representative Tadamichi Yamamoto briefed the Council on the report and most recent developments. In his briefing, Yamamoto noted that there is a renewed interest in Afghanistan in political engagements for peace. However, he also stressed that the security situation as well as the impact of violence on the civilian population remain the major concerns for the mission.

August 2017

On 2 August, the Council adopted a press statement condemning the terrorist attack that took place in a mosque in Herat, Afghanistan, on 1 August, which resulted in more than 90 people killed or injured, for which local affiliates of ISIL have claimed responsibility. On 24 August, the Council adopted a presidential statement confirming that the Council has reviewed the implementation of resolution 2255 and that no further adjustment to the measures outlined in the resolution was necessary at that time. The Council adopted resolution 2255 in December 2015 to clarify how the 1988 Afghanistan sanctions regime functions and to reflect the changing conflict dynamics in the country. The resolution called on the Council to review the implementation of the measures outlined in the resolution by August 2017.

July 2017

In a press statement on 24 July, Council members condemned the terrorist attack that took place in Kabul that same day, which resulted in more than 70 people killed or injured, for which the Taliban claimed responsibility.

June 2017

On 21 June, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNAMA Tadamichi Yamamoto briefed the Council on the latest Secretary-General report and recent developments. Yamamoto noted that Afghanistan is currently going through a political and security crisis and urged the National Unity Government to increase political inclusiveness, strengthen accountability and improve the Government’s credibility to avert deterioration of the situation. Council members voiced concern regarding the recent surge of terrorist attacks in the country and expressed support for the Government of Afghanistan in tackling ongoing political and security issues.

March 2017

On 10 March, Tadamichi Yamamoto, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNAMA briefed the Council on the latest UNAMA report. Sima Samar, Chair of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, also briefed the Council. On 17 March, the Council adopted resolution 2344, renewing the mandate of UNAMA until 17 March 2018.

February 2017

On 7 February, Council members issued a press statement condemning an ISIL perpetrated suicide bombing outside Afghanistan’s Supreme Court in Kabul that killed at least 21 people and injured more than 40, earlier that day. On 16 February, the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee delisted one individual, who is now known to have passed away in 2001.

January 2017

On 11 January, Council members issued a press statement condemning terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Taliban in Kabul and Helmand the previous day, claiming the lives of over 133 people. The statement also condemned a 10 January terrorist attack in Kandahar.

December 2016

On 19 December, the Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan (S/PV.7844), during which it considered the Secretary-General’s report on UNAMA. Special Representative Tadamichi Yamamoto, briefed along with the chair of the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Gerard van Bohemen (New Zealand), and Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

October 2016

The 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee met on 24 October with the head of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to discuss counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan, and on 27 October with the Mission of Afghanistan to the UN to discuss reconciliation efforts in the country.

September 2016

On 14 September, the Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan which focused on the most recent UNAMA report. Special Representative Tadamichi Yamamoto briefed the Council for the first time in his new role. On the same day, the Council issued a presidential statement calling on the international community to continue its civilian and development efforts to assist Afghanistan, ahead of the 5 October 2016 Brussels Conference hosted by Afghanistan and the EU.

July 2016

On 23 July, Council members issued a press statement condemning the terrorist attack that occurred earlier that day in Kabul, resulting in the death of at least 80 people killed and more than 230 wounded, for which local affiliates of ISIL have claimed responsibility.

June 2016

On 21 June, the Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan (S/PV.7722) which focused on the most recent UNAMA report (S/2016/532). Exiting Special Representative Nicholas Haysom briefed the Council for the last time. On the same day, Council members issued a press statement, condemning the 20 June terrorist attacks in Kabul and Badakhshan Province (SC/12413). The 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee held informal consultations on 1 June to meet with a representative of the Collective Security Treaty Organization about counter-narcotic efforts.

April 2016

On 19 April, Council members issued a press statement condemning a terrorist attack in Kabul by the Taliban that claimed at least 28 lives and injured more than 300 people. The 1988 Sanctions Committee met on 20 April that focused on counter-narcotics efforts. Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of the Interior Baz Mohammed Ahmadi briefed, as did the Committee’s Monitoring Team, which discussed the efforts of the Combined Maritime Force to track narcotic flows from Afghanistan.

March 2016

On 15 March, the Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan which focused on the most recent report of the Secretary-General on UNAMA. Special Representative and head of UNAMA Nicholas Haysom briefed. The Council adopted resolution 2274, renewing the mandate of UNAMA for one year.

February 2016

On 4 February, Council members were briefed under “any other business” by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tayé-Brooke Zerihoun on Guinea-Bissau’s political crisis. On 17 February, the Council was briefed by Special Representative Miguel Trovoada, who presented the Secretary-General’s six-month report on Guinea-Bissau. The chair of the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, Ambassador Antonio Patriota (Brazil), also briefed. Council members issued press elements expressing concern over the tensions within the PAIGC and national institutions and calling on political leaders to resume dialogue. Council members decided to include a visit to Guinea-Bissau as part of a broader Council visiting mission early in March. On 26 February, the Council adopted resolution 2267 renewing the mandate of UNIOGBIS for one year.

January 2016

On 21 January, Council members issued a press statement in which they condemned a terrorist attack carried out by the Taliban on 20 January.

December 2015

Council members issued two press statements condemning Taliban attacks near the Spanish embassy in Kabul on 11 December (SC/12158) and another near Bagram Air Field on 21 December (SC/12181). On 21 December, the Council adopted resolution 2255 which contained language clarifying how the 1988 Afghanistan sanctions regime functions and reflecting changing conflict dynamics in Afghanistan. The Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan on 21 December with Special Representative Nicholas Haysom briefing on the most recent UNAMA report.

October 2015

On 12 October, the 1988 Committee held informal consultations focused on the impact of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham in Afghanistan and Taliban financing through the trade in narcotics.

September 2015

On 17 September, the Council held a debate (S/PV.7526) on the quarterly UNAMA report. Special Representative and head of UNAMA Nicholas Haysom and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime briefed the Council. Haysom emphasised the heavy toll the conflict continues to take on civilians and noted that foreign assistance beyond 2017 will rely on the government meeting agreed upon performance indicators, including those related to countering corruption. Fedotov argued that illegal drugs in Afghanistan “are supporting instability, insurgency, corruption and organized crime, while weakening state institutions and Afghanistan’s overall ability to promote peace and good governance.”

August 2015

On 9 August, Council members issued a press statement condemning a series of terrorist attacks in Kabul.

July 2015

On 10 July, Council members adopted a press statement in which they “welcomed the direct talks held on 7 July in Muree, Pakistan, between the government of Afghanistan and Taliban representatives, as a step towards peace and reconciliation” (SC/11967).

June 2015

The Council held its quarterly debate on UNAMA on 22 June with Special Representative Nicholas Haysom briefing on the situation in Afghanistan and the UNAMA report. Haysom said that political progress had been achieved with the appointment of all cabinet members, but expressed concern with the challenging security situation, describing the infiltration of foreign terrorist fighters into the country. A press statement was issued by Council members on 22 June condemning the terrorist attack by the Taliban on the parliament in Kabul.

March 2015

The Council held its quarterly debate on UNAMA on 16 March. Special Representative Nicholas Haysom presented the Secretary-General’s Afghanistan report, noting that UNAMA had urged Afghanistan’s political leaders to finalise the appointment of senior government officials and expressed concern with the rise of civilian casualties in the conflict. Afghanistan also addressed the Council. The Council adopted resolution 2210 renewing UNAMA until 17 March 2016.

December 2014

On 11 December 2014, Council members issued a press statement condemning the attack on the French Institute of Afghanistan in Kabul by the Taliban (SC/11695). The Council met on 12 December (S/PV.7338) to adopt resolution 2189, welcoming the Afghanistan-NATO agreement to create the post-2014 Resolute Support Mission. On 18 December, the Council held its quarterly debate on the situation in Afghanistan (S/PV.7347) and considered the Secretary-General’s recent report on this issue (S/2014/876). The briefers were Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and Yuri Fedotov, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

November 2014

On 24 November, the Council issued a press statement that condemned a suicide bombing that killed over fifty civilians and wounded another sixty in Paktika, Afghanistan. On 27 November, the Council issued a press statement that condemned in the strongest terms the Taliban attack on 27 November on a UK Embassy vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries to civilians and security personnel.

September 2014

The Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan (S/PV.7267) on 18 September. Jan Kubiš, Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), briefed via video teleconference from Kabul on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the situation in Afghanistan (S/2014/656). Kubiš advocated for the formation of a government of national unity to break the electoral stalemate between the two presidential candidates, Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, arguing that “all other options are either accompanied by heavy risks or undermine the country’s constitutional framework.”  On 21 September, Council members issued a press statement in which it welcomed the agreement by Ghani and Abdullah to form a government of national unity. On 29 September, Council members issued a press statement in which it welcomed the inauguration of Dr. Ashraf Ghani as the new President of Afghanistan, marking the first democratic transition of power in the country’s history.

July 2014

Council members issued a press statement on 15 July that condemned attacks in Paktika and Kabul earlier that day that killed and wounded many civilians.

June 2014

On 6 June, Council members issued a press statement condemning an attack in Kabul which caused a number of deaths and injuries to civilians and security personnel (SC/11431). On 17 June, the Council adopted resolution 2160 that renewed, with minor adjustments, the 1988 Taliban sanctions regime. On 25 June, the Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan (S/PV.7208) considering the most recent Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/420). Briefings were provided at the debate by the Special Representative and head of UNAMA Jan Kubiš and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Yuri Fedotov. The Council also adopted two presidential statements on Afghanistan at the debate, one on counter-narcotics (S/PRST/2014/12) and another on the elections (S/PRST/2014/11).

May 2014

On 15 May, the Council issued a press statement welcoming the certification of the first-round results by the IEC, while underscoring the continued need to detect and prevent fraud (SC/11399).

April 2014

On 5 April, the Council issued a press statement welcoming the holding of presidential and provincial council elections in Afghanistan.

March 2014

On 17 March, the Council adopted resolution 2145 renewing UNAMA for a year. Jan Kubis, the Special Representative to Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, briefed on the Secretary-General’s latest report and Ambassador Zahir Tanin (Afghanistan) participated. During the debate, Council members focused on the upcoming national elections, the security transition and the UN and international community’s future role in supporting Afghanistan post-2014. A suicide bombing the next day, which killed at least 16 people, was condemned by the Council in a press statement. On 21 March, the Council also condemned the attack by gunmen on the Serena Hotel in Kabul, which killed nine people, including four foreigners.

January 2014

The Security Council issued a press statement condemning in the strongest terms the terrorist attack by the Taliban at a Kabul restaurant on 17 January that caused numerous deaths and injuries to Afghan civilians and international personnel, including UN employees. 

December 2013

On 4 December, Council members issued a press statement condemning the attacks in Afghanistan’s Uruzgan Province on 26 November and Faryab Province on 27 November. On 17 December, the Council held a debate on the quarterly UNAMA report with the Special Representative and head of UNAMA Ján Kubiš briefing. Kubiš emphasised the importance of credible presidential and provincial elections, scheduled for 5 April 2014. 

October 2013

On 10 October, the Council adopted resolution 2120, extending the authorisation of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan until 31 December 2014.

September 2013

The Council issued a press statement condemning the attack on the US consulate in Herat on 13 September that killed seven people. On 19 September, Special Representative and head of UNAMA Ján Kubǐs briefed the Council on the latest UNAMA report and said that while the capability of Afghan security forces was growing,  they would need international support for at least five additional years to achieve requisite capacity.

August 2013

On 5 August, the Council issued a press statement condemning the 3 August attack against the Indian consulate in Jalalabad that killed nine people and injured 24.

June 2013

The Council issued a press statement on 11 June condemning the terrorist attack on the same day near the Supreme Court in Kabul. On 20 June, the Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan with Ján Kubǐs, the Special Representative and head of UNAMA briefing on the Secretary-General’s latest report. He noted his concern that important legislation regarding the 2014 presidential and provincial council elections had not been adopted. He also informed the Council that there has been a 25 percent increase in civilian casualties in the conflict during the first half of this year as compared to the first half of 2012.

May 2013

On 26 May, the Council issued a press statement condemning the attack on an International Organisation for Migration (IOM) compound in Kabul on 24 May, killing an Afghan police officer and injuring 10 other people, including three IOM personnel.

April 2013

On 4 April, the Council issued a press statement condemning a terrorist attack that occurred in Farah Province in the western part of Afghanistan, which caused numerous deaths and injuries, mainly to civilians.

March 2013

On 19 March, the Council held a debate on the situation in Afghanistan during which it discussed the Secretary-General’s most recent report on UNAMA and adopted resolution 2096 extending the mandate of UNAMA until 19 March 2014 (S/PV.6935 and Resumption 1). Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon briefed the Council.

December 2012

On 17 December the Council adopted resolution 2082 that modified the Taliban sanctions regime, allowing for a number of exemptions to make it easier for listed individuals to travel in order to participate in meetings in support of peace and reconciliation. On 19 December, the Council held a debate on Afghanistan following a briefing by Special Representative and UNAMA head Ján Kubiš on the Secretary-General’s latest report.

November 2012

On 26 November, Council members held an informal interactive dialogue with Salahuddin Rabbani—the chair of the Afghan High Peace Council—and received an update on the reconciliation process. On 2 November, the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee placed the Haqqani network on its list of entities subject to sanctions. (The Haqqani network, based in areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, has been responsible for many high-profile terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.)

October 2012

On  9 October, the Council adopted resolution 2069, renewing the International Security Assistance Force authorisation in Afghanistan until 13 October 2013.

September 2012

On 20 September, the Council held its quarterly debate on the situation in Afghanistan. Ján Kubiš, the head of UNAMA, briefed the Council on the Secretary-General’s report. Kubiš said that the security transition from international to Afghan forces was making progress, but noted that the security environment in the country was fragile. He also emphasised the need for Afghanistan and its international partners to adhere to mutual obligations made at recent high-level conferences, alluding to the May NATO summit in Chicago, the June Kabul conference on regional cooperation and the July Tokyo conference.

August 2012

On 17 August the Council issued a press statement condemning coordinated attacks carried out by the Taliban on 14 and 15 August. In Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz province in the southwest corner of the country, suicide bombers killed 30 people and wounded 60. In northern Kunduz province, 10 civilians died and 30 were injured when an explosive device was remotely detonated.

July 2012

The Council issued a press statement on 23 July welcoming the 8 July “Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan” and the conclusions of the conference.

June 2012

The Council held a debate on the situation in Afghanistan on 27 June 2012 during which it considered the Secretary-General’s quarterly report on UNAMA. The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping and the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime briefed during the debate.

May 2012

On 20-21 May a NATO Summit focusing largely on Afghanistan was held in Chicago, during which NATO reiterated its commitment to transition to Afghan responsibility for the country’s security. The President of France however reasserted his promise to remove the bulk of France’s approximately 3,400 troops in Afghanistan by the end of 2012. On 17 May the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator briefed the Council in consultations on her 8-11 May trip, highlighting the difficult living conditions faced by the inhabitants of informal settlements, especially women and children.

April 2012

The Council adopted a press statement on 17 April condemning the attacks of 15 and 16 April in Jalalabad, Kabul and Logar and Paktia provinces which led to 38 deaths, and commending the Afghan security forces for “their effective action” in response to them.

March 2012

On 20 March the Council held a debate on the situation in Afghanistan at which the Special Representative of the Secretary-General gave a briefing. The Council adopted resolution 2041 renewing the mandate of UNAMA for an additional 12 months on 22 March.

February 2012

On 3 February the NATO Secretary-General reaffirmed that NATO would withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 while France had said on 27 January that it would fully withdraw its combat forces from the country by the end of 2013.

December 2011

On 19 December the Council held a debate on the Secretary-General’s report and adopted a presidential statement welcoming the Bonn conference and its conclusions and commending the outcome of the Istanbul conference. The statement also underscored the UN’s critical role in Afghanistan. The Bonn Conference focused on international political and economic engagement in Afghanistan, both after 2014 and during the transition period preceding it.

November 2011

Addressing the Council during the 11 November open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said she was concerned that the number of civilians killed in Afghanistan was increasing in a climate characterised by a lack of accountability for serious violations of international law. Earlier this month Afghanistan and Turkey hosted a high-level conference in Istanbul to discuss strategies for promoting security and cooperation in Afghanistan and the neighbouring region.

October 2011

The Council adopted resolution 2011 on 12 October extending ISAF’s mandate until 13 October 2012. The resolution underlined the significance of the transition of security responsibility to the Afghan Government by the end of 2014, looked forward to the phased extension of the transition process and highlighted the need for a responsible transition and the long-term commitment of the international community.

July 2011

The transfer of security tasks to Afghan local security forces began in Bamiyan province, followed by the provincial capitals of Mehtar Lam, Lashkar Gah, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif and Panjshir. Meanwhile, on 16 July, former Afghan Taliban leaders were removed from the Taliban sanctions committee list at the request of the Afghan Government. On 6 July the Council held an open debate on Afghanistan where it received a briefing from the special representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan, and head of UNAMA, Staffan de Mistura.

June 2011

On 22 June the US president announced the US would reduce its troops in Afghanistan by 33,000 (of the approximately 100,000) over the next 12 months. The Council adopted resolutions 1988 and 1989 on 17 June which split the sanctions regimes set up under resolution 1267 into two separate regimes covering the Afghanistan Taliban (resolution 1988) and Al-Qaida (resolution 1989).

March 2011

On 22 March the Council adopted resolution 1974 renewing the mandate of UNAMA for a further 12 months. The Council held an open debate on 17 March, where it received a briefing from the head of UNAMA.

December 2010

On 22 December the head of UNAMA briefed the Council.

19 to 20 November 2010

The NATO Summit was held in Lisbon, where NATO leaders backed the strategy to transfer leadership to Afghan forces by 2014.

24 November 2010

The Independent Elections Commission (IEC) certified parliamentary election results from 33 of 34 provinces, disallowing a quarter of the votes cast as invalid.

15 November 2010

The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) completed verifying complaints from the parliamentary elections, disqualifying 24 candidates (including seven current members of parliament) for alleged fraud.

22 October 2010

Four suicide bombers attacked the UN compound in western Herat.

13 October 2010

The Council reauthorised ISAF’s mandate till 13 October 2011.

28 September 2010

Staffan de Mistura briefed the Council.

18 September 2010

Parliamentary elections were held.

14 August 2010

Ethnic tensions in Kabul led to violent clashes in the Afghan capital.

10 August 2010

The Human Rights Unit in UNAMA released its midyear report on civilian casualties.

23 July 2010

The Secretary-General briefed the Council on the Kabul Conference. The Council issued a press statement welcoming the Kabul Conference communiqué, supporting the Kabul Process and looking forward to the timely implementation of the Afghan Government’s commitments. The Council held an open debate on Afghanistan

20 July 2010

The Kabul Conference was held.

17 July 2010

Hamid Karzai signed a decree ordering the disbanding of all private security forces by the end of 2010.

21 – 24 June 2010

The Security Council, led by Turkey, conducted a mission to Afghanistan.

2 – 4 June 2010

An Afghan peace jirga was held.

22 May 2010

Insurgents fired rockets into the Kandahar airfield and attempted to storm the base

18 May 2010

A suicide bomber killed six NATO soldiers and 12 civilians

17 April 2010

The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) appointed two foreign commissioners and agreed to guarantee 68 seats to women in the lower house of parliament.

11 May 2010

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, signed an agreement with the chair of the Independent Election Commission, Fazel Manawi, pledging financial support for the parliamentary elections.

19 May 2010

There was an assault against Bagram air base north of Kabul

18 May 2010

A suicide bomber killed six NATO soldiers and 12 civilians

10 -13 May 2010

Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited Washington.

22 March 2010

The Council adopted resolution 1917, renewing and modifying the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until 23 March 2011.

18 March 2010

The Council held a debate  on Afghanistan

26 February 2010

A coordinated suicide and car bomb attack by the Taliban killed at least 18 people.

13 February 2010

NATO and Afghan forces began Operation Moshtarak.

8 February 2010

Several Afghan Taliban were captured, including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a senior Taliban leader.

5 February 2010

The Council issued a press statement on the London Conference.

28 January 2010

An international conference on Afghanistan took place in London.

26 January 2010

The Secretary-General announced the appointment of Staffan de Mistura as his new SRSG for Afghanistan.

26 January 2010

A regional summit on Afghanistan organised by Turkey was held in Afghanistan with Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan participating

25 January 2010

The fourth trilateral summit between Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan took place in Istanbul.

25 January 2010

The Security Council Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee removed five ex-Taliban from its sanctions list.

24 January 2010

Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission delayed Afghanistan’s parliamentary election from 22 May to 18 September.

19 December 2009

Hamid Karzai nominated 23 cabinet ministers; many of the key cabinet posts were not changed.

15-17 December 2009

An anti-corruption conference initiated by Afghan President Hamid Karzai was held.

11 December 2009

Eide announced that he would not renew his contract when it expires in March.

9 December 2009

Eide called for key partners in Afghanistan to work together in a more coordinated and streamlined way to support national development.

5 December 2009

In Brussels, NATO foreign ministers announced that NATO would commit an additional 7,000 soldiers to Afghanistan.

1 December 2009

US President Barack Obama announced a revised US strategy for Afghanistan.

11 November 2009

During an open debate on protection of civilians in the Security Council, a statement on behalf of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay expressed ongoing concerns about the climate of impunity in Afghanistan.

6 November 2009

The Council issued a press statement following a briefing by the Secretary-General. The press statement acknowledged the conclusion of the electoral process and stressed the need for a renewed inclusive political process led by the Afghan Government.

2 November 2009

The Secretary-General made a visit to Afghanistan.

1 November 2009

After candidate Abdullah Abdullah withdrew from the run-off election, Hamid Karzai was officially declared the winner of the presidential election by the Independent Election Commission.

29 October 2009

The Council issued a presidential statement condemning the attack on the UN guesthouse.

28 October 2009

A terror attack at a guesthouse in Kabul killed five UN staff members and three Afghans.

8 October 2009

The Council renewed the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

29 September 2009

The Council discussed the Secretary-General’s report on UNAMA and was briefed by the SRSG.

25 September 2009

The Canadian Foreign Minister, Lawrence Canon, hosted an informal meeting on Afghanistan where the SRSG briefed foreign ministers of key troop-contributing and donor countries and the Afghanistan foreign minister.

17 September 2009

A suicide bomb attack on a military convoy in Kabul killed six Italian soldiers and ten civilians.

9 September 2009

France, Germany and the UK wrote to the Secretary-General calling for a high-level international conference before the end of the year to take stock of progress in Afghanistan and assess the challenges ahead.

4 September 2009

A bomb exploded near a Polish convoy in eastern Afghanistan killing one Polish soldier and wounding five others.

4 September 2009

A NATO bombing raid in Kunduz killed thirty and wounded nine civilians. Also killed were 69 alleged Taliban.

25 August 2009

A terrorist attack in Kandahar killed more than forty civilians and wounded eighty others.

20 August 2009

The Council issued a press statement on 20 August welcoming the “historic” presidential and provincial elections and condemning the actions of the extremist groups, who sought to disrupt them.

20 August 2009

Provincial and presidential elections were held.

12 August 2009

US marines launched an assault in the lower Helmand river valley.

Early August 2009

In early August UNAMA released a report co-authored with the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) which revealed that insecurity had hampered candidates’ ability to campaign by limiting their movement and curbing freedom of expression.

15 July 2009

On 15 July the Council adopted a presidential statement stressing that it was important for the elections to be free, fair, transparent, credible, secure and inclusive

30 July 2009

The Mid Year Bulletin on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in Afghanistan, prepared by the Human Rights Unit of UNAMA and released on 30 July, reported that civilian casualties increased by 24 percent in the first half of 2009, with 59 percent of the civilians killed by anti-government elements and 30.5 percent by pro-government forces.

End of June

At the end of June, the UK launched a five-week operation known as “Panther’s Claw” in Helmand province

11 May 2009

Citing the need for a wider change of strategy, the US replaced ISAF commander, General David McKiernan with Arm.y Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal, a counterinsurgency expert.

10 May 2009

Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused the US of failing to abide by a “high moral” standard in its air strikes and demanded their cessation.

6 May 2009

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Kai Eide, expressed serious concern over reports of civilian casualties and fighting in Farah province.

27 March 2009

US President Barack Obama unveiled a new strategy for Afghanistan. The US will now treat Pakistan and Afghanistan as a single integrated challenge and engage them in a trilateral framework.

17 February 2009

US President Barack Obama authorised a 17,000 troop increase for Afghanistan.

11 February 2009

The Taliban conducted simultaneous attacks against government facilities in Kabul, killing at least twenty people and injuring many others.

early February

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy visited Afghanistan in early February.

February

The new US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, met Afghan, Pakistani and Indian leaders.

December 2008

UNAMA’s budget was doubled by the General Assembly which granted an increase in international staff from approximately 1,500 to 2,000.

30 November 2008

A meeting of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) was held in Kabul.

21-28 November 2008

The Security Council conducted a mission to Afghanistan visiting Kabul and Herat.

October 2008

A decision was taken by Special Representative for Afghanistan Kai Eide to establish an OCHA presence in Afghanistan separate from the Humanitarian Affairs Unit in UNAMA.

26 August 2008

Investigations by UNAMA into reports that civilians had been killed in US-led air raids in Herat on 22 August revealed some ninety civilians were killed, including sixty children.

25 August 2008

The Afghan Government called for a review of agreements regulating the presence of international troops in Afghanistan.

25 and 26 August 2008

Russia circulated a draft press statement deploring the civilian casualties caused by an Operation Enduring Freedom air strike in Herat on 22 August. The Council was unable to reach consensus on the text.

22 August 2008

US-led airstrikes were conducted in Herat.

7 July 2008

A suicide bomber targeted the Indian embassy in Kabul, killing 58 (including two Indian diplomats) and injuring 141.

mid-June 2008

France announced that it would rejoin NATO’s military command structure, from which it had withdrawn in 1966.

12 June 2008

An International Conference in Support of Afghanistan was held in Paris.

11 June 2008

The Council adopted resolution 1817, introduced by France, restricting the trafficking of chemical precursors used in narcotics production.

24 May 2008

A forum for civil society and the private sector was held in Paris to provide inputs for the 12 June International Conference in Support of Afghanistan.

19 May 2008

Officials from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan met in Tehran as part of the “Triangular Initiative”, where they agreed to establish Border Liaison Offices to carry out joint operations targeting narcotics smuggling.

3 April 2008

NATO leaders issued a new strategic vision for Afghanistan at the Bucharest Summit.

29 March 2008

Kai Eide was appointed the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of UNAMA.

5 March 2008

The International Narcotics Control Board released its 2007 annual report, highlighting the ready availability of a chemical precursor to heroin (acetic anhydride) in Afghanistan.

17 February 2008

A suicide bomb killed more than 100 people outside Kandahar.

8 February 2008

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband visited Afghanistan.

5 – 6 February 2008

The Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board met in Tokyo.

14 January 2008

Six people were killed in a suicide bombing at the Hotel Serena in Kabul.

31 December 2007

Tom Koenigs stepped down as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.

6 November 2007

A Terrorist attack targeting members of a parliamentary delegation visiting Baghlan killed more than 40 people.

21 September 2007

Tom Koenigs suggested that peace talks between the Afghan Government and the Taliban should be encouraged.

15 – 16 September 2007

High-level meeting on Afghanistan co-chaired by the Secretary-General and President Hamid Karzai.

8 – 12 August 2007

Peace “jirga” held in Kabul brought together presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan, parliamentarians and tribal leaders.

2 – 3 July 2007

The governments of Afghanistan, Italy and the SG co-chaired the Rome Conference on the Rule of Law in Afghanistan.

21 June 2007

The Conference on Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups for the Stabilisation of Afghanistan was held in Tokyo.

30 May 2007

The G8 foreign ministers met with the Afghanistan and Pakistan foreign ministers in Potsdam.

29 and 30 April

Turkish president Ahmet Necdet Sezer hosted Afghanistan and Pakistan’s presidents at a meeting in Ankara.

29 – 30 April

A meeting of the JCMB was held.

5 February 2007

UN Special Representative Tom Koenigs briefed the Council.

30-31 January 2007

The Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) that oversees the Afghanistan Compact held its third meeting.

7 December 2006

A Council delegation led by Japan presented the report on Afghanistan to the Council.

11- 16 November 2006

A Council delegation led by Japan visited Afghanistan.

5 October 2006

ISAF assumed control over peacekeeping across Afghanistan by placing US troops in the east under NATO control.

26 September 2006

President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met at the White House under the auspices of US President George W. Bush.

21 September 2006

NATO met at the ministerial level, paving the way for the assumption of responsibility for the security in all of Afghanistan by ISAF in October.

9 September 2006

NATO defence chiefs agreed to increase troop numbers by 2,500.

31 July 2006

ISAF expanded its operations into southern Afghanistan.

18 September 2005

Parliamentary elections were held.

23 March 2006

Security Council extended UNAMA’s mandate until March 2007.

February 2006

More robust engagement rules for NATO ISAF troops went into effect.

31 January 2006

Launch of the Afghanistan Compact, a five-year plan of peacebuilding in Afghanistan, at a meeting in London.

3 January 2006

The Secretary-General appointed Tom Koenigs of Germany to replace Jean Arnault of France as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Afghanistan.

December 2005

The new parliament was inaugurated in Kabul.

18 September 2005

Parliamentary elections were held.

14 March 2005

The Council extended the mandate of ISAF.

October 2004

Hamid Karzai was elected President.

March 2004

The Berlin pledging conference took place.

February 2004

Jean Arnault was appointed as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Afghanistan and Head of UNAMA.

4 January 2004

The Loya Jirga adopted the new constitution.

August 2003

NATO took over ISAF’s command.

December 2002

The Kabul Declaration on Good-Neighbourly Relations was signed by the neighbouring states of China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

June 2002

Emergency Loya Jirga was held in Kabul, which resulted in the establishment of the Transitional Authority, and the election of Hamid Karzai as its President.

28 March 2002

The Council established UNAMA.

January 2002

The first contingent of peacekeepers arrived in Afghanistan.

January 2002

The Tokyo pledging conference took place.

22 December 2001

Hamid Karzai was sworn in as head of a 30-member interim power-sharing government.

20 December 2001

The Council authorised the establishment of ISAF in resolution 1386.

6 December 2001

The Bonn Compact was endorsed by the Council in resolution 1383.

5 December 2001

The Bonn Compact was adopted, setting up the Afghan Interim Authority under Hamid Karzai.

November 2001

US-supported forces marched into Kabul.

October 2001

The international offensive against the Taliban began. Lakhdar Brahimi was reappointed as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Afghanistan.

11 September 2001

Al-Qaida carried out attacks on US soil.

9 September 2001

Ahmed Shah Massoud was assassinated.

May 2001

UNSMA offices were forced to close and UN staff withdrew from Afghanistan.

December 2000

The Council strengthened sanctions against the Taliban and imposed sanctions against Al-Qaida.

October 1999

The Council imposed a sanctions regime against the Taliban after the group refused to hand over Osama bin Laden.

August 1999

The Council imposed a sanctions regime against the Taliban and al-Qaida.

August 1998

Al-Qaida attacked US embassies in East Africa. The United States retaliated with a cruise missile attack on Afghanistan.

July 1997

Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi was appointed as a high-level special envoy to Afghanistan by the Secretary-General.

October 1996

The Council, in resolution 1076, called upon all Afghan parties to cease hostilities and engage in political dialogue.

September 1996

The Taliban, led by Mullah Omar, seized control of Kabul. Taliban forces dragged former President Mohammad Najibullah from the UN compound and executed him.

May 1996

Osama bin Laden was expelled from Sudan and came to Afghanistan.

1996

The Office of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan and Pakistan was renamed and incorporated into UNSMA.

1994

Factional fighting led to 25,000 dead. Mahmoud Mestiri was appointed as the Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, and head of UNSMA.

1994

The Pashtun-led Taliban emerged as a serious rival to the Rabbani regime.

1993

UNSMA was established by the Secretary-General following a request by the General Assembly. Afghanistan had requested assistance with rapprochement and reconstruction.

1992

Rabbani replaced Najibullah as President. Rabbani led an alliance that included ethnic mujaheddin forces.

1991

The United States and the USSR agreed to stop support for the various factions fighting in Afghanistan.

1990

The mandate of UNGOMAP ended. The Office of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan and Pakistan was established.

1989

Soviet forces completed their withdrawal.

1988

Accords were signed between Afghanistan, the United States, Pakistan and the USSR in April in Geneva and Soviet forces began their pullout. In October, the Council adopted resolution 622, which authorised the United Nations Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan (UNGOMAP).

1987

The Loya Jirga approved a new republican constitution.

1986

Najibullah replaced Soviet-backed Babrak Karmal as President.

1986

The United States armed mujaheddin forces with Stinger missiles to attack Soviet helicopters.

1985

The General Assembly adopted resolution 40/137 in December, which expressed profound concern at the disregard for human rights in Afghanistan. The resolution came after the Assembly was presented with a report from the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on indiscriminate attacks against civilians.

1984

The Commission on Human Rights appointed a Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan.

1982

Diego Córdovez was appointed as the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative to Afghanistan. Córdovez served in that position until 1988 and oversaw the negotiations leading up to the Geneva Accords.

1981

Javier Perez de Cuellar was appointed Secretary-General’s Personal Representative to Afghanistan.

1980

An emergency session of the General Assembly adopted resolution ES.6/2  on 14 January, in which it called for the immediate withdrawal of foreign forces in Afghanistan and deplored Soviet intervention. The Babrak Karmal government was installed by the Soviet forces.

1979

Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan in December after Hafizullah Amin overthrew President Nur Mohammed Taraki and installed Babrak Karmal.

1978

The Saur Revolution brought the communist party to power. The communist party installed Taraki as President, who signed a friendship treaty with Moscow.

1973

General Mohammed Daud took power in a coup and declared a republic.

1964

A democratic constitution was approved, with limited power for the monarchy and a limited role for Islamic law.

1963

General Mohammed Daud was forced to resign from the prime minister post after introducing social reforms, including the abolition of the law against women appearing in public.

1953

General Mohammed Daud became the prime minister and sought Soviet economic and military aid.

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