Duration of the conflict
30 years and continuing

Nature of the conflict
In 1979 Afghanistan was invaded by and became embroiled in a war with the Soviet Union. After the Soviets withdrew in 1989, the conflict developed into a civil war. The conflict has since evolved into a regional conflict, as part of which Afghan and Western troops engage in battle with Taliban and Al Qaida insurgents, primarily in the southern and eastern parts of the country.

Country’s current phase
The most recent conflict phase began in 2001, the year that saw the demise of the Taliban regime following a large influx of foreign troops. Despite widely reported successes for the international military presence, the situation on the ground continues to worsen, with 2010 reported as the most violent year yet in this phase of the conflict.

This situation is made worse by the extreme poverty in the country. As reported (in ‘Human Rights Dimension of Poverty in Afghanistan’ march 2010 – United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) one in three Afghans lives in absolute poverty while a further third of the population lives just below the poverty line, leaving them completely vulnerable to unexpected events such as drought or flooding – natural disasters that occur with alarming regularity in some parts of the country.


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