19. Afghan Civil War (1978-1992)
The Afghan Civil War began with a communist coup, quickly escalating as the Soviet Union intervened to prop up the new regime. Resistance from a patchwork of mujahideen groups, backed by the United States and regional allies, turned Afghanistan into a Cold War proxy battleground. The Soviet withdrawal left a power vacuum and ongoing factional fighting, setting the stage for future turmoil and the eventual rise of the Taliban. Afghanistan’s instability continues to influence regional and global security.
