Right: Australian special forces on patrol in Afghanistan. Australians were involved from the first days of the US-led invasion after the attacks on New York's twin towers on September 11, 2001.
Background information
The following timeline was prepared by the ABC and posted on its Internet site on October 19, 2010. It can be accessed athttp://abc.com.au/news/stories/2010/10/19/3041966.htm
Australian forces have been active in Afghanistan in various roles since the war's inception in 2001, with 1,550 personnel currently deployed.
October 2001: Invasion of Afghanistan begins in response to September 11 terrorist attacks.
2001-2002: Three special forces squadrons deployed in initial offensive against the Taliban.
December 2001: Special forces involved in initial offensives including capture of Kandahar airport.
December 2002: Special Forces Task Force withdrawn.
September 2005-2006: Special Forces Task Force redeployed.
March 2006- April 2007: Two Chinook helicopters deployed to support the Special Forces Task Force.
August 2006: First of four Reconstruction Task Forces deployed as part of Dutch-led Provincial Reconstruction Team based in Uruzgan Province.
April 2007: Special Operations Task Group redeployed to attack Taliban command and supply routes in Uruzgan province.
August 2007-July 2009: Australian Control and Reporting Centre deployed to Kandahar Airfield.
October 2008: First of two Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Forces replaces Reconstruction Task Force, with mentoring of Afghan forces incorporated into the mission directive.
May 2009: Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force boosted.
February 2010: Mentoring Task Force replaces Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force, resulting in a boost of Mentor and Liaison Teams.
August 2010: Command of Provincial Reconstruction Team passed to Australian and US forces after Dutch troops withdraw.
Australia's commitment began in October 2001 after the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on New York and Washington killed some 3,000 people. Australian special forces joined American, British and other international troops in an intensive campaign against Al-Qaeda and those who gave them sanctuary, including the Taliban.
By December 2002 the Taliban had fallen and many Al-Qaeda operatives had been killed whilst the remainder had fled across the border to Pakistan and Australian special forces troops returned home.
(In December 2001, Australia also made a commitment to the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, whose United Nations mandate to provide security around Kabul was subsequently extended to cover the entire country.)
By September 2005, the rising Taliban insurgency forced members of ISAF to refocus on Afghanistan and Australian special forces were deployed again.
In June, 2010, it was announced that Australia would play a greater role in Afghanistan's troubled Oruzgan Province after Dutch troops withdrew from the country in August. Australia is now playing a new role as part of a United States-led multinational effort, called Combined Team Oruzgan.
Prior to this Australia's 1550 troops in Afghanistan had operated under the control of a 1880-strong Dutch task group since 2006.
The Dutch provided key support including a hospital, combat aircraft and helicopters and artillery.