2001
September 2001
11th September: The September 11th Attacks. Four co-ordinated terrorist attacks against targets in the United States led to 2,977 deaths, plus 19 terrorists killed. The attacks were later determined to have been carried out by al-Qaeda.
12th September: NATO Article 5 is invoked.
13th September: Op VERITAS begins.
November 2001
7th November: Operation ENDURING FREEDOM begins.
15th November: First UK personnel arrive at Bagram air base.
December 2001
5th December: Bonn Agreement is signed.
14th December: Recce team led by GOC 3 (UK) Mech Div deploys to Kabul.
19th December: UK formally offers to lead International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
20th December: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386 (UNSCR 1386) establishes ISAF in Kabul to aid the Afghan Interim Authority.
20th December: Op FINGAL begins.
21st December: Commander International Security Assistance Force (COMISAF) arrives in theatre.
2002
January 2002
1st January: Interim ISAF HQ set up in Kabul.
4th January: Military Technical Agreement signed.
16th January: ISAF declared at Initial Operating Capability (IOC).
18th January: ISAF declared at Full Operating Capability (FOC).
February 2002
24th February: ISAF strength reaches 3000 personnel.
March 2002
2nd March: Op ANACONDA begins.
4th March: HQ ISAF established in Regency Building, Kabul.
10th March: Transfer of Authority (TOA) to 1 R ANGLIAN from 2 PARA as UKBG begins.
11th March: TOA to a German brigade HQ from 16 (Air Assault) Brigade as KMNB.
14th March: The Indira Gandhi children's hospital in Kabul, adopted by the 3rd Divisional Signal Regiment, has received its first batch of new beds and bedding, thanks to a grant from the Department for International Development, as well as a further batch of toys and other gifts donated by people in the Salisbury area.
15th March: TOA to 1 R ANGLIAN from 2 PARA as UKBG complete.
15th March: Op JACANA begins.
2002
April 2002
13th April: Op PTARMIGAN begins.
19th April: Op PTARMIGAN ends.
28th April: Op SNIPE begins.
May 2002
13th May: Op SNIPE ends
16th May: Op CONDOR begins
22nd May: Op CONDOR ends
23rd May: UNSCR 1386 extends ISAF until December 2002.
23rd May: Op BUZZARD begins
June 2002
13th June: Op BLUEBIRD begins.
20th June: Op BLUEBIRD ends.
20th June: TOA to Turkey from UK as lead nation for ISAF II.
July 2002
9th July: Op BUZZARD ends
10th July: Roulement of 3 Commando Logistic Regiment for HQ 3 Cdo Bde as Task Force JACANA.
18th July: Final combat element of Op JACANA is stood down.
24th July: UNSCR 1444 extends ISAF mandate until Dec 03.
2003
March 2003
28th March: UNSCR 1471 authorises United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until Mar 04. Reviewed annually.
May 2003
8th May: UK announces it will lead the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Mazar-e-Sharif (MES).
12th May: Op TARROCK begins. 2 R ANGLIAN deploy to provide 6-man Military Observer Teams (MOTs) to MES.
June 2003
10th June: Op TARROCK declares FOC.
August 2003
11th August: NATO takes responsibility for HQ ISAF.
September 2003
23rd September: TOA to 2 RGR from 2 R ANGLIAN on Op FINGAL and Op TARROCK.
2006
January 2006
26th September: Announcement that UK will deploy 3,300 personnel to the south of Afghanistan.
March 2006
16th March: UK hands responsilibity for MES PRT to Sweden.
April 2006
12th April: Op HERRICK 4: 16 (Air Assault) Bde (3150 - 4500 pax) deploy as Helmand Task Force (HTF).
May 2006
1st May: Formal flag change in Helmand. The UK assumes lead of Helmand PRT from United States.
4th May: Formal TOA to UK from Italy as lead nation for ISAF IX.
15th May: HQ HTF moves to Lashkar Gah (LKG).
16th May: Op MOUNTAIN THRUST begins.
29th May: 29 Five-month-old Jannik, whose German parents are part of the European Union delegation to Afghanistan, was among 21 diplomats and their families, plucked to safety by NATO troops, as rioting broke out in Kabul on Monday 29 May 2006.
July 2006
31st July: Op MOUNTAIN THRUST ends.
October 2006
6th October: Op HERRICK 5: TOA to 3 Cdo Bde (5200 pax) from 16 (Air Assault) Bde.
2007
April 2007
11th April: Op HERRICK 6: TOA to 12 Mech Bde (6500 pax) from 3 Cdo Bde.
May 2007
1st May: UK assumes command of Regional Command (South) (RC(S)) from the Netherlands. Formal TOA to Maj Gen J Page (UK) from Maj Gen van Loon (NLD) as COM RC(S).
June 2007
8th June: At Camp Sharabak in Helmand Province, soldiers from the Grenadier Guards are currently involved in mentoring the Afghan National Army, living, training and fighting alongside them, passing on the skills and training which will enable the Afghans to take responsibility for their own security.
October 2007
10th October: Op HERRICK 7: TOA to 52 Inf Bde (7750 pax) from 12 Mech Bde.
November 2007
7th November: A temporary Bde HQ, 11 Lt Bde, is formed to command TFH on HERRICK 11.
2008
April 2008
8th April: HQ 6th (UK) Division officially forms at Imphal Barracks, York. It is commanded by Maj Gen J Page. The HQ begins preparations to deploy as HQ RC(S) in November 2009.
9th April: OP HERRICK 8: TOA to 16 (Air Assault) Bde (8530 pax) from 52 Inf Bde.
August 2008
1st August: Op OQAB TSUKA begins.
September 2008
8th September: Op OQAB TSUKA ends.
October 2008
8th October: Op HERRICK 9: TOA to 3 Cdo Bde (8300 pax) from 16 (Air Assault) Bde.
December 2008
1st December: 01 An orphanage, a nursery and a women's centre all opened in Lashkar Gah last week thanks to the work of Afghan construction firms and 24 Commando Engineer Regiment.
2009
January 2009
23rd January: Maj Gen N Carter assumes command of HQ 6th (UK) Division ahead of the formation's deployment as HQ RC(S).
February 2009
March 2009
2nd March: Personnel from 19 Lt Bde begin deploying to Afghanistan.
17th March: After having received instruction from a Royal Engineer Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, members of the Afghan Security Forces recently delivered explosive hazard awareness training to over 500 local Afghans in Nad 'Ali.
April 2009
10th April: Op HERRICK 10: TOA to 19 Lt Bde (8300 pax) from 3 Cdo Bde.
May 2009
18th May: Op PANCHAI PALANG begins.
2009
July 2009
27th July: Op PANCHAI PALANG ends.
August 2009
24th August: HQ 6th (UK) Division is re-designated HQ Combined Joint Task Force 6 (HQ CJTF-6) for the final stages of its training to deploy as HQ RC(S).
September 2009
21st September: A team of specialist Royal Engineers has helped construct millions of pounds worth of infrastructure across Helmand province this summer, including a new four-wing prison and a headquarters for the Counter Narcotics Police.
October 2009
10th October: Op HERRICK 11: TOA to 11 Lt Bde (9000 pax) from 19 Lt Bde.
November 2009
1st November: UK assumes command of HQ RC(S) from the Netherlands. Formal TOA to Maj Gen N Carter (UK) from Maj Gen de Kruif (NLD) as COM RC(S).
2010
February 2010
13th February: Op MOSHTARAK begins.
May 2010
June 2010
1st June: Handover of control of the Kajaki Area of Operations (AO) from TFH to US 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (1 MEF) begins.
14th June: HQ RC(SW) created by 1 MEF. TFH becomes OPCOM RC(SW).
July 2010
15th July: Handover of control of the Kajaki AO from TFH to 1 MEF ends.
September 2010
23rd September: 23 A new school which will educate hundreds of Afghan youngsters has been opened in Spina Kota, a village in the Bolan desert five kilometres from Lashkar Gah.
2010
October 2010
10th October: Op HERRICK 13: TOA to 16 (Air Assault) Bde (9500 pax) from 4 Mech Bde.
22nd October: Handover of control of the Sangin AO from TFH to 1 MEF ends.
November 2010
2nd November: UK relinquishes command of HQ RC(S). Formal TOA to US 10th Mountain Division from HQ CJTF-6 as HQ RC(S). Maj Gen N Carter (UK) transfers command to Maj Gen Terry (US).
December 2010
5th December: Children in a settlement just south of Nad 'Ali in Helmand province are receiving education for the first time in more than three years after British troops facilitated the refurbishment of a derelict school.
7th December: Op MOSHTARAK ends.
2011
February 2011
8th February: Work is underway to build a new road which will form an important transport link for locals in an area of Helmand province where security is provided by British troops.
March 2011
26th March: TOA between 1 MEF and 2 MEF as HQ RC(SW)
April 2011
10th April: Op HERRICK 14: TOA to 3 Cdo Bde (10787 pax) from 16 (Air Assault) Bde.
June 2011
1st June: Joint Force Support (Afghanistan) (JFSp(A)) 12: RN Individual Augmentee Headquarters.
11th June: Transition to Lead Security Responsibility (TLSR) in LKG complete.
July 2011
10th July: Op HERRICK 15: TOA to 20 Armd Bde from 3 Cdo Bde.
October 2011
1st October: JFSp(A) 13: 101 Log Bde
2012
February 2012
May 2012
1st May: JFSp(A) 14: 102 Log Bde.
10th May: Op HERRICK 16: TOA to 12 Mech Bde from 20 Armd Bde.
June 2012
2nd June: TLSR programme for Nar-e-Saraj (NES) endorsed by the Provincial Governor.
July 2012
19th July: The British Armed Forces have returned 843 artefacts from the British Museum to the Afghan capital, Kabul, almost 20 years after they were stolen and smuggled abroad
September 2012
14th September: Insurgent attack on Camp Bastion
October 2012
10th October: Op HERRICK 17: TOA to 4 Mech Bde from 12 Mech Bde.
December 2012
1st December: JFSp(A) 15: 104 Logistic Support Brigade.
2013
January 2013
24th January: British-trained Afghan forces have demonstrated their expanding capability by successfully leading a large and complex operation to build a bridge over the Nahr-e Saraj canal in Afghanistan’s Helmand
February 2013
2nd February: TLSR of Route 611.
April 2013
10th April: Op HERRICK 18: TOA to 1 Mech Bde from 12 Mech Bde.
June 2013
1st June: JFSp(A) 16: RAF Individual Augmentee Headquarters.
18th June: TLSR complete.
August 2013
9th August: TFH HQ moves from LKG to Camp Bastion.
27th August: SCOTS DG deploy as first Kabul Support Unit (KSU).
29th August: Sappers from 22 Engineer Regiment have repaired a key bridge in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand province.
October 2013
10th October: Op HERRICK 19: TOA to 7 Armd Bde from 1 Mech Bde.
10th October: JFSp(A) 17: 101 Log Bde.
2014
January 2014
5th January: US Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Afghanistan) takes command of RC(SW)
February 2014
4th February: British-mentored Afghan police officers have seized 400 kilos of hashish during an operation in Helmand province.
16th February: TOA to 1 COLDM GDS from SCOTS DG as KSU.
31st February: Helmand PRT closes.
April 2014
1st April: HQ TFH closes.
30th April: Op HERRICK 20: TOA to 20 Armd Bde from 7 Armd Bde.
August 204
16th August: TOA to 2 RIFLES from 1 COLDM GDS as KSU.
October 2014
28th October: RC(SW) ground operations end.
December 2014
10th December: Kabul Security Force (KSF) established.
28th December: ISAF mission in Afghanistan ends. It is replaced by the NATO RESOLUTE SUPPORT (RS) mission.
31st December: Op HERRICK ends.