Deployed To Afghanistan: Understanding The Possibility And The Realities On The Ground

Afghanistan has been a deployment site for military forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, and other NATO allies and partner countries. The country has been a war zone since the 2001 US-led invasion, which aimed to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists. Since then, there have been several military bases established by the US and NATO in Afghanistan. However, due to the volatile security situation, terrorist attacks, ongoing armed conflict, kidnapping, arbitrary arrests, detention, and high crime rates, many countries have advised their citizens to avoid all travel to Afghanistan. The US and its allies completed their withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2021, and the country is now under Taliban rule.

US Military Bases in Afghanistan

The US has withdrawn from Afghanistan, closing its last major base, Bagram Airfield, in July 2021. Bagram was the largest US military base in Afghanistan, previously used by the Soviet Union to store aircraft hangars. It was the nerve center of US counterterrorism missions and military operations against the Taliban. The base was expanded and modernized by the Americans and, at its peak, was home to over 7,000 US and other armed services personnel.

The US withdrawal from Bagram was conducted secretly, with US troops shutting off the electricity and slipping away during the night. The base was then looted by civilians before the Afghan National Army took control of the area and arrested some looters.

Another key US military base in Afghanistan was Kandahar Airfield, which was turned over to the Afghan National Defense Security Forces in May 2021. At its height, Kandahar was home to more than 26,000 US and international troops and became the training hub for the southern region of Afghanistan after 2014.

The US military withdrawal from Afghanistan also included the closure of Camp Vance, a base 1.4 km from Bagram Airfield that was established in December 2002 to headquarter the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force.

The dangers of travelling to Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a highly dangerous place for travellers, with governments around the world advising their citizens not to travel there. The country is considered a war zone, with an extremely dangerous security situation and a high threat of terrorism and kidnapping. Violent crime is common, and foreigners are often the targets of attacks.

Security and Crime

The security situation in Afghanistan is highly volatile, with the Taliban controlling the country and several other armed Islamist groups active. There is a high threat of terrorism and kidnapping throughout the country, including in the capital, Kabul. Locations such as cafes, restaurants, hotels, government buildings, and airports may be targeted. Terrorists continue to target foreigners, NGOs, and humanitarian operations. Violent incidents occur across the country, and all travel throughout Afghanistan is extremely dangerous. There are Taliban checkpoints on roads throughout the country and in Kabul, and border crossings may be closed without notice.

Criminal gangs also take advantage of the unstable security situation to commit violent attacks. Weapons are readily available, and the number of civilian casualties is high. Common types of violent attacks include armed assaults, ambushes, armed robbery, carjacking, and sexual and gender-based violence.

Women Travellers

Afghanistan is particularly dangerous for women travellers, who are advised to avoid travelling at night and to always be accompanied by someone if they need to leave their accommodation. Women travellers should also avoid remote streets and refrain from displaying their belongings or handling money in public.

Natural Disasters

Afghanistan is highly susceptible to natural disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, snow avalanches, landslides, and droughts due to its geographical location and decades of environmental degradation.

Health and Medical Care

Medical facilities in Afghanistan are limited, and the standard of training for medical staff is poor. Sanitation and hygiene are poor, and medical evacuation may not be possible. Most travel insurance policies do not cover travel to Afghanistan. Insect-borne, waterborne, foodborne, and parasitic diseases are common, and outbreaks of malaria have occurred in the country.

Local Laws and Customs

Afghanistan is a traditional country with strict codes of dress and behaviour, particularly for women. Women are required to be accompanied by a male guardian and to cover their hair and face outside the home. De facto relationships, close contact between unmarried men and women, adultery, and same-sex relationships are illegal and may be punishable by imprisonment, lashing, or the death penalty. Preaching a religion other than Islam and renouncing Islam are also illegal and may result in harsh punishments. Photography of government buildings, military installations, and palaces is prohibited.

The presence of NATO troops in Afghanistan

NATO troops were stationed in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, from 2001 to 2021. The presence of NATO troops in Afghanistan was part of a United Nations (UN) Security Council mandate, which was invoked following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. The aim of the NATO mission was to ensure that Afghanistan would not become a safe haven for international terrorists to attack NATO member countries.

In the years that followed the 9/11 attacks, NATO and its international partners engaged in a range of political and military efforts in Afghanistan, from combat operations to cooperative security outreach to humanitarian development projects. These initiatives aimed to enable the Afghan government to exert its authority over all Afghan territory and build the capacity of the Afghan national security forces, and ultimately create a strong and stable government capable of guaranteeing peace and stability for all Afghans.

The NATO-led mission in Afghanistan was called the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). ISAF was tasked with creating the conditions for the Afghan government to exercise its authority throughout the country and build the capacity of the Afghan national security forces, including in the fight against international terrorism. ISAF was one of the largest coalitions in history and NATO's longest and most challenging mission to date, with troops from 50 NATO and partner countries.

In December 2014, ISAF's mission came to an end, and NATO launched the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) to train, advise, and assist Afghan security forces and institutions to fight terrorism and secure their country. RSM was a non-combat mission with around 10,000 personnel from 36 NATO Allies and partner countries, operating in one hub (Kabul/Bagram) and four spokes (Mazar-e Sharif in the north, Herat in the west, Kandahar in the south, and Laghman in the east).

In February 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement for the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan by May 2021. In April 2021, NATO decided to withdraw all Allied troops from Afghanistan within a few months. The withdrawal of RSM forces was completed in August 2021, and the mission was terminated in early September 2021.

The Taliban's rule in Afghanistan

The Taliban, a predominantly Pashtun, Islamic fundamentalist group, returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, twenty years after they were ousted by U.S. troops. Since then, they have imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, despite pledges to respect the rights of women and religious and ethnic minority communities.

The Taliban's rule has been characterised by the suppression of free speech and organised political activity. They have also responded to armed resistance with overwhelming force, including brutal treatment of detainees and credible reports of summary executions. The group has further reinstated the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which acts as a "morality police" enforcing strict dictates on social behaviour, such as gender integration, dancing, music, TV, and radio.

Women and girls have been barred from virtually every aspect of public life. They have been prohibited from attending secondary school, banned from attending and teaching at universities, and prevented from working. In 2022, the Taliban prohibited women from working at local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has praised these changes, claiming life improved for Afghan women after foreign troops left and the hijab became mandatory.

The Taliban's takeover has also resulted in a struggling economy. Malnutrition has soared, and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost. The World Bank reported that the local currency, the Afghani, gained value against major currencies, and revenue collection was described as "healthy". However, the economy has been crippled by sanctions and the termination of significant development aid. The revocation of the country's central bank's credentials has also halted all basic banking transactions and restricted critical cash flow.

The Taliban have held investment talks with countries in the region, including China and Kazakhstan, and have improved domestic security through crackdowns on armed groups such as the Islamic State. However, they have faced criticism from foreign governments, rights groups, and global bodies for their restrictions on women and girls, which have been deemed a major obstacle to gaining international recognition as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

The evacuation of personnel from Allied and partner countries

The evacuation focused on ensuring the safe departure of personnel from Allied and partner countries, as well as Afghans who had worked with NATO and their families. This included around 2,000 Afghans working for NATO and their families, many of whom have already been resettled in Allied and partner countries. NATO also worked to provide housing, care, and support for those awaiting follow-on movement to Allied and partner countries.

The evacuation was carried out from Kabul airport, which remained under NATO and US military control despite the collapse of the central government. It was secured by troops from the US, the UK, Turkey, and Norway, who played a key role in ensuring the airport's security and operating a field hospital. Around 800 NATO staff maintained key operations such as fuelling and communications.

The evacuation was the largest non-combatant evacuation operation in US military history, with US military personnel transferring 79,000 civilians through Kabul airport and out of Afghanistan over an 18-day mission. In total, more than 120,000 people were evacuated as part of the Allied airlift.

The evacuation was carried out amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation, with the Taliban advancing towards Kabul and capturing several of Afghanistan's largest cities. The US deployed thousands of additional troops to the region to support the evacuation effort.

The evacuation was not without challenges, with reports of violence and attacks on Kabul airport. On August 26, a suicide bombing killed over 180 people, including 13 American troops and 169 Afghan civilians. There were also reports of gunfire between US troops and the Taliban, and a mistaken US drone strike that killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children.

The evacuation effort was a race against time, with the Taliban setting a deadline of August 31 for the completion of the evacuation. The evacuation was completed just one day before this deadline, with the final US flight departing Kabul airport on August 30.

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