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Mariam is born
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King Zahir Shah Overthrown
King Zahir Shah had ruled over Kabul for fourty years and during the summer of 1973 he was overthrown in a bloodless coup. Since he was overthrown Afghanistan is now a Republic instead of a monarchy. Daud Khan became President. -
Mir Akbar Khyber Murdered
Mir Akabar Khyber was a Communist and some beleived that Daud Khan's people were responsible for his murder. In the book, Mariam is nineteen during this time and she is watching everyone talk excitedly about the murder. There was a big demonstration in Kabul and many people are listening to radios attentively. Many communists were upset and were having rallies and speeches. -
Afghanistan becomes a Deomcratic Republic
Air Force Colonel, Abdul Qader, claims that the President has been killed and his loyalist supporters have been taken out of the picture. Afghanistan is now a Democratic Republic and they are striving to get rid of inequality and the power is now given to the people. In the book, Mariam wonders if her father, Jalil, willl get thrown into jail and everything will be taken away from him. -
War Against the Soviets
Afghanistan jihad fights against Soviets to take back their country. Many are angry and want their independence from another country's rule and communism. President Reagan supports Afganistan's fight against Soviet communism. In the book, Laila's older brothers join the jihad to fight the Soviets. Laila's teacher supposrts the Soviets and discusses how important gender equality is. The current Communist president is Najibullah. -
Soviets Sign Treaty
The Soviets sign a treaty declaring that they will leave Afghanistan in nine months. In the book, Mammy will continue to be depresssed until the Soviets actually leave the country.
http://abcnews.go.com/Archives/video/april-14-1988-soviet-troops-leave-afghanistan-13375059 -
Laila is born
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Soviets Leave Afghanistan
Laila and her friends watch the last Soviet convoy exit the city. Many people gather to yell at the Communists as they were leaving. Mammy holds a pictures of her sons who died while fighting. Even though, the Soviets are claiming to leave, Najibullah stays in Kabul. Mammy is still depressed and not a mother to Laila. -
Najibullah Leaves Kabul
Najibullah left Kabul and went to a UN compound south of the city and the jihad was finally over. Mammy is finally at peace and is happy. Mujahideen was the next person to take over. Afghanistan was now called the Islamic State of Afghanistan. The Islamic Jihad Council would oversee the country, which was led by Sibghatullah Mojadidi. -
Bombing Begins at Kabul
Rabbani becomes the President of the leadership concil. Commander Massoud called for peace and patience. Everyone thought that Rabbani did not deserve to be Presdident, because of nepotism. Hekmatyar feel excluded from the government and they began to fight. Gunshots and bombs were fired from both sides in Kabul. Innocent people were injured because of this. -
Fighting in West Kabul
There was heavy fighting between the Pashtun forces and the warlord Sayyaf and the Hazaras of the Wahdat faction. Many Pashtun houses were being broken into and wifes and daughters were being raped. It got so bad that Babi dropped Laila out of school, because it was too dangerous for her to leave her house. Giti, Laila's friend, died one day because she was hit by a stray rocket while walking down the street. -
Tariq and his family flee
Tariq and his family decide that is too dangerous to stay in Kabul so they leave to go to Pakistan first and then later Peshawar. Laila is very upset when he tells her this. Two weeks after Tariq leaves, Laila and her family decide to leave too. Before they left, a bomb had struck their house and both her parents were killed. Laila was found under the house and taken in by Rasheed. -
Dostum joins Hekamatyar and attacks Kabul
Commander Dostum joins sides with Gulbuddin Hekamatyar and attacked Massoud and Rabbani's forces in Kabul. Everyday, people were dying as both sides were releasing rounds of artillerary. There was murder, looting, and rape going on so much to the point where mother's would poison themselves and their own children to escape it. Rasheed, Mariam, Laila, and Aziza were trapped in the house, scared. -
Mariam, Laila, and Aziza attempt to escape Kabul
Mariam, Laila, and Aziza try to run away from Rasheed and escape Kabul by asking a man to buy their tickets, since a woman had to be accompanied by a man at all times. However, this failed and they were sent back home to Rasheed, who beat them and locked them up for days. -
The Taliban arrive in Kabul
Everyone celebrated when the Taliban came into Kabul and Raseed welcomes them because he says that good would come from this. However, women had the little rights they had left taken away and even the men had new rules to follow. The Taliban publically kills Najibullah and his men to use their bodies as a public threat. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/1/5/violent-crime-againstafghanwomenhitsrecordlevels.html -
Laila gives birth to Zalmai
Laila goes to the hospital to give birth to Zalmai only to be told that the hospital does not let women be patients in their hospital. They had to go to a rundown hospital outside of Kabul. Laila had to have a surgery to deliver and was not given any anestesia or medications. -
Third year of drought in Kabul
Everyone was starving in Kabul and they were lucky enough to eat one full meal each day. Also, Rasheed's shop burnt down and they had no money. It got so bad, that Laila decided to send Aziza to an orphanage just so she could get fed and taken care of. -
Massoud Leads the Northern Alliance
Massoud speaks with the European Parliament and pleads with the U.S. to fight against the Taliban. Rasheed thinks that if Europe and the U.S. do not help, the Taliban will attack Euope and the U.S. soon. The Taliban also blew up the two thousand old Buddahs that Babi took Tariq and Laila to. She is not even upset because she is too focused on finding food to worry about it. -
9/11
Two planes crash into the United States' World Trade Center. The attacks were said to be caused by forces from Afghanistan.Tariq and Laila hear about it by watching it happen on the TV in the hotel. Osama Bin Laden is the prime suspect behind all of it. Bush declares war on Afghanistan. -
Laila Returns to Kabul
Laila, Tariq, and children return to Kabul for the first time since they fled after Rasheed's death. -
Laila fixes orphanage
Laila fixes the orphange that she once sent Aziza to. Now it is colorful and has many supplies. She is now a teacher at the orphanage.
