2020 in Afghanistan explained

Events in the year 2020 in Afghanistan.

Incumbents

• President: Ashraf Ghani
• Chief Executive: Abdullah Abdullah
• Speaker of Wolesi Jirga: Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi
• Speaker of Meshrano Jirga: Fazel Hadi Muslimyar
• First Vice President of Afghanistan: Abdul Rashid Dostum
• Second Vice President of Afghanistan: Sarwar Danish
• First Deputy Chief Executive of Afghanistan: Khyal Mohammad Mohammad Khan
• Second Deputy Chief Executive of Afghanistan: Vacant

Events

January

• 27 January – A United States Air Force Bombardier Global Express E-11A aircraft crashed in Afghanistan's Dih Yak District, Ghazni Province.^[1]
• 29 January – Afghan special forces raided a Taliban compound in Bala Murghab, Badghis Province, freeing 62 hostages.^[2] A Taliban attack in Kunduz killed multiple Afghan security forces.

February

• 6 February – The CASA-1000 project was inaugurated, in a ceremony attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan Zahid Nasrullah Khan.^[3]
• 7 February – Two senior militants of the anti-Pakistan terrorist group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan - Sheikh Khalid Haqqani and Qari Saif Younis - were found assassinated near the Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul.^{[4] [5]}
• 8 February – Two U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers were killed, and six more were wounded, in an insider attack in Sherzad District, Nangarhar Province.^{[6] [7]}
• 11 February – A suicide bomber killed at least six people near the Marshal Fahim National Defense University in Kabul.^{[8] [9]}
• 15 February – U.S. negotiators and the Taliban agreed on a seven-day "reduction in violence" period, with the ultimate aim of reducing U.S. forces from 12,000 to 8,600 over coming months. U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said the period was "conditions-based" but would involve suspending a "significant part" of U.S. operations, though no start date had been selected till then. Consultations were scheduled for 21 February between Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Afghan president Ashraf Ghani. The announcement followed an earlier Taliban ultimatum to reply to their proposal for such a reduction, though the Taliban still refused to meet with Afghan government officials in any capacity but as private citizens.^[10]
• 18 February – President Ashraf Ghani was formally declared the winner of the 2019 Afghan presidential election, though Abdullah Abdullah disputed the results, and announced his intentions to form his own government.^{[11] [12]}
• 19 February – President Ashraf Ghani and U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met to discuss U.S. peace negotiations with the Taliban.^[13]
• 29 February – The United States and the Taliban sign an agreement that may lead to the end of the war in Afghanistan.^[14]

March

• 6 March – Two ISIL insurgents shot 32 people dead in Kabul.^[15]
• 25 March – ISIL attack a gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) in Kabul, killing 25 people.^[16]
• 29 March – The Taliban kill six Afghan troops and police officers in Zabul province and five in Baghlan province.^[17]
• 30 March – A sticky bomb attached to a vehicle detonated Kabul, wounding four people. The Taliban are to send ten representatives to the U.S. Bagram Airfield, to oversee the release of 5,000 prisoners. Reuters reports 27 security forces and 13 Taliban killed in fighting.^[18]

May

May 2020 Afghanistan attacks

• 1 May – Drowning of Afghan refugees in the Hari River.^[19]
• 12 May – A mass shooting in Kabul and a suicide bombing in Nangarhar Province.^[20] Unknown attackers killed 24 and injured 16 others, including new-born babies, mothers, and nurses at a maternity hospital in Kabul.^[21]
• 14 May – A car bomb was detonated in Gardez, Paktia Province, killing 5 people and wounding 14. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack.^[22]
• 23 May – The Taliban and Afghan government announce a three-day ceasefire beginning on Eid al-Fitr. It is only the third time that a truce has been agreed upon since the conflict began.^[23] UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the announcement and urged all parties to embrace the Afghan peace process.^[24]

June

June 2020 Afghanistan attacks

• 6 June – Eleven members of the security forces and four insurgents were killed in Badakhshan Province. Three police officers were killed in a gun battle in Guldara District, Kabul Province.^[25]
• 12 June – Four people were killed and another eight injured in a bombing at a Kabul mosque.^[26]
• 17 June – Twelve security forces members were killed and five were wounded during a Taliban attack in Aqcha District, Jowzjan Province. Four soldiers were taken hostage in the attack, and five Taliban militants killed.^[27] Two security checkpoints in the Aqcha district were hit from different angles by the attackers, in an attempt to take over their control, a spokesman in the Jawzjan province confirmed.^[28] However, the actual extent of casualties are yet to be ascertained, as the group behind the attack has not issued a statement yet.^[29]
• 29 June – At least 23 people were killed in rocket attacks on a cattle market in Sangin District, Helmand Province. Both the government and the Taliban blamed each other for the attack.^[30]

July

July 2020 Afghanistan attacks

• 13 July – 11 people were killed and several others injured, as a result of a car bomb blast at a government facility in northern Afghanistan's Samangan Province.^[31] According to the hospital chief of the province, most of the casualties of the attack were civilians, including children. The deputy governor of the province stated that the insurgents breached the intelligence complex agency after the blast, subsequently engaging in a struggle with the Afghan forces for hours. Officials added that the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.^{[32] [33] [34]}
• 23 July – Local officials disclosed that an Air strike was launched by the Afghan forces against Taliban fighters in the western Afghan province of Herat, killing at least 45 people, including civilians.^[35] Witnesses claimed that the attack was carried out when several people came out in Herat's Adraskan district to welcome a Taliban fighter that was recently released from jail. Further claims suggest that at least 8 civilians lost their lives in the attack, with several others injured including children.^{[36] [37]} The Afghan defense ministry has assured that it would look into this lethal attack which resulted in civilian casualties.^[38]
• 28 July – The Taliban has declared a temporary ceasefire for three days in Afghanistan, ahead of Muslim's holiday for Eid.^[39] According to the Washington Times, the Afghan government has accepted the deal, as they have urged their forces to uphold the truce.^[40] President Ashraf Ghani has indicated that negotiations could begin next week, which would mark the commencement of the procrastinated peace talks.^[40] However, spokesman of the Taliban Zabihullah Mujahid, has maintained that the Taliban would respond if attacked by Afghan forces, despite ordering their fighters to stand-down in order to observe Eid peacefully.^[41]

August

August 2020 Afghanistan attacks

• 2–3 August – The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province (ISKP) group's suicide car bomber and gunmen attacked a prison in Jalalabad Nangarhar Province, in eastern Afghanistan. Beginning on August 2, the battle between soldiers went on for 20 hours. At least 29, including at least 8 ISIS attackers, were killed in the Jalalabad attack, while around 50 were injured. More than 25 prisoners escaped, while around 1,025 inmates, who tried to flee the compound, were recaptured.^[42]
• 26 August – Flash floods kill at least 72 people and destroy hundreds of homes in Parwan Province.^[43]

September

September 2020 Afghanistan attacks

• 9 September – Ten people are killed and 31 including First Vice-president Amrullah Saleh are injured in a bombing in Kabul. The Taliban deny responsibility for the attack.^[44]
• 12 September – Representatives of the government and the Taliban meet in Qatar to begin peace talks. U.S. Vice-president Mike Pence attends to inauguration in Doha.^[45]
• 16 September
  • A bomb kills two people and injures 12 others in Kalafgan District, Takhar Province.^[46]
  • A member of the Afghan National Directorate of Security was shot dead and his driver was injured in Kabul.^[47]

October

October 2020 Afghanistan attacks

• 18 October – A car bomb was placed outside a police headquarter in the western province of Ghor. The explosion left 13 civilians dead and more than 120 people wounded.^[48]
• 21 October
  • During an application for visas to Pakistan at Jalalabad Stadium, at least twelve women were killed in a human stampede.^[49]
  • An Afghan Air Force airstrike against a mosque in Baharak District, Takhar reportedly killed 12 children, though the Ministry of Defense claimed all of those killed were Taliban militants.^[50]

November

November 2020 Afghanistan attacks

• 2 November – Three gunmen stormed the campus of Kabul University killing 32 people and wounding 50 others in the 2020 Kabul University attack.
• 24 November – Around 70 countries and 30 international organizations participate in the United Nation's 2020 Afghanistan Conference, pledging US$3.3 billion to support the Afghani peace process.^[51]

Deaths

• 2 June – Munir Mangal, Commander of the Afghan National Police (2010–2016) (b. 1950).^[52]
• 26 June – Faqir Nabi, actor (b. 1953).^[53]
• 6 October – Najeeb Tarakai, cricketer (b. 1991).^[54]

See also

• History of Afghanistan
• Outline of Afghanistan
• Politics of Afghanistan
• Government of Afghanistan
• COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan
• 2020s
• 2020s in political history

Notes and References

1. News: Abdul Qadir Sediqi. January 27, 2020. Aircraft crashes in central Afghan province. Reuters.
2. News: . Sharif . Hassan . Susannah . George . Sayed . Salahuddin . January 29, 2020 . Afghan forces rescue more than 60 hostages from Taliban prison in night raid . https://archive.today/20200131154657/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghan-forces-rescue-more-than-60-hostages-from-taliban-prison-in-night-raid/2020/01/29/86ae33f6-42b8-11ea-b5fc-eefa848cde99_story.html . January 31, 2020.
3. News: . Ayaz . Gul . February 6, 2020 . Afghan Leader Inaugurates Construction of Key Regional Energy Project .
4. News: Kermani. Secunder. Yousafzai. Sami. Mehsud. Ishtiaq. February 7, 2020. Kabul Taliban: Spies, militants and a mysterious assassination. BBC News.
5. News: Fitsanakis. Joseph. February 10, 2020. Pakistani Taliban leaders found dead in Kabul hotel, culprits unknown. intelNews.
6. News: Susannah . George . Sharif . Hassan . . February 9, 2020 . The gunfire lasted just minutes but left two U.S. soldiers in eastern Afghanistan dead . https://archive.today/20200211181429/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the-gunfire-at-the-afghan-base-lasted-just-minutes-but-left-two-us-soldiers-dead/2020/02/09/231bcdfc-4ac5-11ea-8a1f-de1597be6cbc_story.html . February 11, 2020.
7. News: . Two American Soldiers Killed in Shootout With Afghan Forces . February 9, 2020 . https://archive.today/20200209195434/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/08/world/asia/afghan-us-soldiers-shooting-deaths.html . February 9, 2020 . Mujib . Mashal . Zabihullah . Ghazi . Thomas . Gibbons-Neff . Lara . Jakes . Six other American service members were wounded, Colonel Leggett said in a statement early Sunday. He said an investigation was underway and that the motive for the attack was unclear. The two soldiers killed, part of the Seventh Special Forces Group, were Staff Sgt. Javier J. Gutierrez, 28, of San Antonio and Staff Sgt. Antonio R. Rodriguez, 28, of Las Cruces, N.M., according to a Pentagon statement released Sunday..
8. News: At least five dead in suicide attack on Kabul military academy. . . February 11, 2020 .
9. News: Six killed in suicide blast in Kabul, Taliban deny attack. . “Six people including two civilians and four military personnel were killed,” interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told Reuters, adding that 12 people were wounded, five of them civilians. . Abdul Qadir . Sediqi . Jibran . Ahmed . Gibran Naiyyar . Peshimam . Charlotte . Greenfield . Rupam . Jain . Clarence . Fernandez . Peter . Graff . February 11, 2020 .
10. News: U.S. Reaches 'Reduction In Violence' Deal With Taliban In Afghanistan . February 15, 2020 . Laurel . Wamsley . NPR.
11. News: . After 5-Month Delay, Ashraf Ghani Is Named Winner of Afghan Election . President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday was declared the winner of Afghanistan’s presidential vote after months of delayed results and bitter dispute. [...] Fazel Ahmad Manawi, a senior member of Mr. Abdullah’s team, had said hours before the announcement that “neither the institution called independent election commission has legitimacy in our eyes, nor the result they might announce.” . February 18, 2020 . Mujib . Mashal . https://archive.today/20200218145724/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/world/asia/afghanistan-election-ashraf-ghani.html . February 18, 2020.
12. News: Ghani declared winner of Afghan election - but opponent rejects result . . Emma . Graham-Harrison . February 18, 2020 . Five months after Afghans went to the polls to choose a new president, election authorities have declared the incumbent, Ashraf Ghani, the winner, but his main opponent has rejected the result and said he will form his own “inclusive government”..
13. News: U.S. special envoy discusses Taliban deal with re-elected Afghan president . . February 19, 2020 . Abdul Qadir . Sediqi . Gibran . Peshimam . Cynthia . Osterman . U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday discussed a U.S. deal with Taliban militants on a weeklong reduction in violence, meeting the day after Ghani was declared a winner of a disputed presidential poll. [...] Khalilzad, who has led talks with the Taliban on a U.S. troop withdrawal agreement, briefed Ghani on the steps that will be taken after the reduction in violence agreement comes into force, the presidential palace statement said..
14. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/us-taliban-sign-landmark-agreement-in-bid-to-end-americas-longest-war/ar-BB10yMNg?ocid=sf2 U.S.-Taliban sign landmark agreement in bid to end America's longest war
15. News: 2020-03-06. Kabul attack: Abdullah Abdullah escapes deadly attack. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-08-23.
16. https://apnews.com/41ec1c612e317fdab7528a2f919d6aed Bomb disrupts funeral for 25 Sikhs killed in Afghan capital
17. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/afghan-officials-taliban-attacks-kill-11-troops-police-69868022?cid=clicksource_76_null_headlines_hed Afghan officials say Taliban attacks kill 11 troops, police
18. https://news.yahoo.com/least-27-afghan-security-personnel-110332457.html At least 27 Afghan security personnel killed in Taliban assaults
19. News: Exclusive: Afghan lawmakers say 45 migrants drowned after Iranian guards forced them into river . REUTERS . May 7, 2020.
20. Web site: Press . Europa . AMP3.- Afganistán.- Al menos 24 muertos en un atentado de Estado Islámico en el funeral de un policía en Nangarhar . Publimetro México . May 13, 2020 . es.
21. Web site: 'Sheer evil' maternity ward attack toll rises to 24 . BBC News . May 13, 2020 . 13 May 2020.
22. News: Truck bomb in eastern Afghan city kills five, Taliban claim responsibility . . Ahmad . Sultan . Abdul Qadir . Sediqi . Raju . Gopalakrishnan . A truck packed with explosives blew up near a court in the eastern Afghan city of Gardez on Thursday, killing at least five people in an attack claimed by Taliban insurgents. [...] “A car bomb explosion took place near a military court in Gardez city, which is a populated area. Dozens of civilians are feared to be dead and wounded,” said Tariq Arian, an interior ministry spokesman. . May 14, 2020.
23. News: 2020-05-24. Afghan Taliban announce three-day Eid ceasefire. en-GB. BBC News. 2020-05-27.
24. Web site: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Afghanistan. 2020-05-23. United Nations Secretary-General. en. 2020-05-27.
25. Web site: 2020-06-06. Separate attacks kill 14 Afghan forces in Kabul, northeast. 2020-07-31. AP NEWS.
26. Web site: Official: Bomb explodes in Kabul mosque, at least 4 killed. 2020-07-31. ABC News. en.
27. News: Afghans Say Taliban Attacks Kill At Least 17 Military Personnel In Northern Provinces . . June 17, 2020 . Afghan officials say Taliban fighters have attacked a checkpoint in the northern province of Jawzjan, killing 12 security force members. Abdul Marouf Azar, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said on June 17 that five others were wounded in the attack that occurred at dawn in the Aqcha district..
28. Web site: Latest Taliban Attacks Kill 17 Afghan Forces.. live. www.voanews.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200621163423/https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/latest-taliban-attacks-kill-17-afghan-forces . 2020-06-21 .
29. Web site: Afghanistan: Taliban attack security forces checkpoints in Aqcha (Jowzjan province) June 17.. live. www.garda.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200629000419/https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/351431/afghanistan-taliban-attack-security-forces-checkpoints-in-aqcha-jowzjan-province-june-17 . 2020-06-29 .
30. News: 2020-06-29. Blast kills at least 23 at cattle market in southern Afghanistan. en. Reuters. 2020-07-31.
31. Web site: Taliban car bomb attack on Afghan intelligence compound kills 11.. live. www.aljazeera.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200713090222/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/dozens-injured-car-bomb-blast-afghan-spy-agency-office-200713074223424.html . 2020-07-13 .
32. Web site: Taliban kill 11 in assault on Afghan intelligence compound.. live. abcnews.go.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200713094910/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/suicide-car-bombing-north-afghanistan-casualties-71747408 . 2020-07-13 .
33. News: Taliban Stage a Major Attack, as Violence Intensifies in Northern Afghanistan.. The New York Times . 13 July 2020 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200713103013/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/13/world/asia/afghanistan-attack-aybak.html . 2020-07-13 . Mashal . Mujib . Rahim . Najim .
34. Web site: Taliban Car Bomb Attack on Afghan Intel Office Kills 11.. live. www.thedefensepost.com. 13 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200714041047/https://www.thedefensepost.com/2020/07/13/taliban-bomb-afghanistan-intelligence/ . 2020-07-14 .
35. Web site: Civilians among 45 killed in Afghan air raids against Taliban.. live. www.aljazeera.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200722211833/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/air-strikes-afghanistan-kill-45-civilians-taliban-fighters-200722203403995.html . 2020-07-22 .
36. Web site: Afghan airstrike allegedly hits civilians welcoming freed Taliban prisoner back home.. live. www.cbsnews.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200723172420/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-airstrike-allegedly-hits-civilians-welcoming-freed-taliban-prisoner-back-home/ . 2020-07-23 .
37. Web site: Afghan Officials Say Taliban, Not Civilians, Killed in Air Strike.. live. www.voanews.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200724055743/https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/afghan-officials-say-taliban-not-civilians-killed-air-strike . 2020-07-24 .
38. Web site: Afghanistan investigating deadly air strike in Herat.. live. www.trtworld.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200724060820/https://www.trtworld.com/asia/afghanistan-investigating-deadly-air-strike-in-herat-38350 . 2020-07-24 .
39. Web site: Taliban agree Eid ceasefire in boost for Afghanistan peace process.. live. www.theguardian.com. 30 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200730041139/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/30/taliban-agree-eid-ceasefire-in-afghanistan-peace-talks . 2020-07-30 .
40. Web site: Taliban declares cease-fire in Afghanistan for Eid, as pressure builds for peace talks.. live. www.washingtonpost.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200728200002/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghanistan-taliban-eid-cease-fire-peace-talks/2020/07/28/f2a33c98-d0e1-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html . 2020-07-28 .
41. News: Taliban announce three-day ceasefire in Afghanistan for Eid al-Adha, starting Friday.. live. www.reuters.com. 28 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200729195101/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-taliban-ceasefire/taliban-announce-three-day-ceasefire-in-afghanistan-for-eid-al-adha-starting-friday-idUSKCN24T20B . 2020-07-29 .
42. Web site: Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Deadly Attack on Afghan Prison. 3 August 2020. The Wall Street Journal.
43. Web site: Inundaciones repentinas dejan más de 70 muertos en Afganistán . www.msn.com . 24 Horas . August 26, 2020 . es. Web site: Inundaciones repentinas dejan más de 70 muertos en Afganistán . www.msn.com . Reuters . August 26, 2020 . es.
44. News: FAIEZ . RAHIM . Afghan officials: Kabul bomb targets VP, kills 10 civilians . Sep 12, 2020 . AP NEWS . AP NEWS . 9 September 2020.
45. News: El Talibán inicia "históricas" conversaciones de paz con el gobierno de Afganistán . Sep 12, 2020 . www.msn.com . BBC World News . September 12, 2020.
46. Web site: 2 Killed, 12 Wounded in Takhar Blast. 2020-09-16. TOLOnews. en.
47. Web site: NDS Colonel Murdered in Kabul, Public Demands Better Security. 2020-09-16. TOLOnews. en.
48. Web site: Suicide car bombing kills several, wounds dozens in western Afghanistan. 18 October 2020. TRTWorld.
49. News: Jalalabad: 12 Women Killed in Stampede for Pakistani Visas . . At least 12 women were trampled to death--and 9 women and 3 men were injured-- during a stampede occurring among those seeking Pakistani visas in Jalalabad city, capital of Nangarhar province on Wednesday, local officials said. . https://web.archive.org/web/20201023233911/https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-167206 . October 23, 2020.
50. News: Local Officials, Kabul Clash Over Whether Children Were Killed In Mosque Air Strike . . Officials in the northern Afghan province of Takhar say 12 children were killed in an air strike on a mosque, but the government in Kabul disputes the account, claiming all those killed were Taliban fighters. The strike occurred on October 21 in Baharak district, some 15 kilometers from the regional capital, Taloqan, where Taliban fighters had killed dozens of Afghan security forces in the early morning, provincial councilor Mohammad Azam Afzali said. . October 22, 2020 . Radio Free Afghanistan.
51. Web site: 2020-11-24. Strong support for Afghanistan at the 2020 Afghanistan Conference. 2020-12-12. UNAMA. en.
52. News: Fahim . Abed . Munir Mangal, Afghan General and Police Commander, Dies at 70 . . 6 May 2020 . 1 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200506211009/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/obituaries/Munir-Mangal-dead-coronavirus.html . 6 May 2020 . live.
53. Web site: Veteran Afghan Actor Faqeer Nabi, 67, Dies of COVID-19. 2020-07-02. TOLOnews. en.
54. Web site: Afghanistan Batsman Najeeb Tarakai Loses Life in Road Accident, Board Mourns Death . . 5 October 2020.