• Two hijacked airliners crash into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. A third hijacked plane crash into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and a fourth plane crash into the ground in Pennsylvania.

• The damaged World Trade Center towers collapse killing thousands of people still trapped inside. Altogether, approximately 3000 people died or remain missing.

• Osama Bin Laden immediately identified as a prime suspect.

September 12, 2001 -

• President George W. Bush calls for America's allies to join the "war on terrorism".

September 19, 2001 -

• The United States sends aircraft and navy ships to bases in the Middle East as part of "Operation Enduring Freedom".

October 7, 2001 -

• First airstrikes launched against Taliban targets in Afghanistan.
• Northern Alliance troops fight the Taliban for control of the country.

October 16, 2001 -

• United States and Pakistan reach an agreement that once the Taliban are defeated, the government in Afghanistan should be multi-ethnic and democratically elected.

November 27, 2001 -

• United Nations peace talks begin Bonn, Switzerland concerning the creation of a government structure in Afghanistan.

December 5, 2001 -

• An agreement is reached in which Afghans from the four main ethnic groups will share power.

December 13, 2001 -

• Hamid Karzai, the new head of the interim government in Afghanistan, enters the capital city of Kabul to assume power.

December 14, 2001 -

• The European Union agrees to establish an international peacekeeping force of between 3,000 and 4,000 troops led by the British Army.

December 22, 2001 -

• The interim government of Hamid Karzai inaugurated.

December 28, 2001 -

• The new government of Afghanistan calls for the United State to cease bombing raids once the few remaining Taliban and al-Qaeda bases have been destroyed.

January 10, 2002 -

• The British defense secretary announces that the British-led international security force will consist of about 5,000 soldiers from 18 countries.

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