Deployment Durations: Understanding The Time Soldiers Spend In Afghanistan

For nearly two decades, NATO Allies and partner countries deployed military forces to Afghanistan. The last U.S. soldier to leave Afghanistan departed on August 30, 2021, marking the end of America's longest war. Over the course of the 20-year conflict, more than 775,000 U.S. service members were deployed to the country at least once. The length of deployment for U.S. soldiers varied, with some serving multiple tours of duty and others being deployed only once.

The US and Taliban signed an agreement for the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan by May 2021

In February 2020, the US and the Taliban signed an agreement to withdraw international forces from Afghanistan by May 2021. This was followed by the Biden administration's decision in April 2021 to pull out all US troops by September 2021. These two events triggered the collapse of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

The US-Taliban agreement, signed by the Trump administration, stipulated fighting restrictions for both parties and provided for the withdrawal of all NATO forces from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban's counter-terrorism commitments. The Taliban committed to not attacking US and coalition forces and to not launching "high-profile" attacks, including in Afghanistan's 34 provincial capitals.

As part of the agreement, the US agreed to an initial reduction of its forces from 13,000 to 8,600 troops by July 2020, followed by a complete withdrawal by May 1, 2021, if the Taliban kept its commitments. The Trump administration kept to the pact, reducing US troop levels to 2,500 by January 15, 2021, even though the Taliban continued to attack Afghan government forces.

The agreement also included the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government, which was not a party to the deal. The intra-Afghan peace talks, comprising the Taliban and the Afghan government, were to work out a power-sharing settlement.

Following the agreement, the US dramatically reduced the number of air attacks on the Taliban, depriving the ANSF of a critical edge in fighting the Taliban insurgency. This led to the Taliban takeover of Kabul on August 15, 2021.

On April 14, 2021, Biden announced his intention to withdraw all regular US troops by September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban began a final offensive on May 1 and, on July 8, Biden moved up the completion date to August 31.

The last US military planes left Kabul airport at 11:59 p.m. on August 30, 2021, marking the end of the US's longest war.

In April 2021, NATO decided to withdraw all Allied troops from Afghanistan

The decision to withdraw was influenced by several factors. Firstly, the United States, a key NATO ally, had signed an agreement with the Taliban in February 2020 for the withdrawal of international forces by May 2021. Additionally, there was a growing recognition that the terrorist threat had evolved significantly since NATO's initial involvement in Afghanistan following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This shift in the terrorism landscape was a key justification for the withdrawal, as NATO sought to adapt its tactics and focus to address new challenges.

The withdrawal process began in May 2021, with the goal of completing it within a few months. However, the situation on the ground deteriorated rapidly, with the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces collapsing over the summer. As a result, NATO shifted its attention to ensuring the safe exit of Allied personnel and NATO-affiliated Afghans. This evacuation effort culminated in the airlift of over 120,000 people from Kabul airport in August 2021, marking one of the largest evacuation missions in NATO's history.

The withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan had significant consequences. It raised questions about the solidity of the US commitment to its international security role and strained transatlantic relations. Additionally, it highlighted the need for better strategic planning and coordination within NATO, particularly in crisis management situations. The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban also brought attention to the ongoing challenges of counter-terrorism and the potential for increased terrorist activity in the region.

In the aftermath of the withdrawal, NATO conducted a 'lessons learned' exercise to evaluate its engagement in Afghanistan. This process informed the development of the NATO 2022 Strategic Concept, which emphasised the importance of crisis prevention and management, drawing on the lessons from Afghanistan to enhance NATO's capabilities in these areas.

In August 2021, over 120,000 people were evacuated from Kabul airport as part of the coalition effort

In August 2021, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, capturing provincial capitals and expanding their control from 77 districts on 13 April to 104 districts on 16 June, and eventually to 223 districts on 3 August. This prompted the evacuation of over 120,000 people from Kabul airport as part of a coalition effort. The evacuation was completed on 30 August, one day before the deadline agreed upon with the Taliban.

The evacuation operations were one of the largest airlifts in history. The US alone evacuated about 82,300 people from Hamid Karzai International Airport, including US citizens, Special Immigrant Visa applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans. The evacuation efforts also included other countries such as Canada, India, and South Korea. The US military guarded the airport in Kabul until the Tuesday deadline set by President Joe Biden for their withdrawal.

The Taliban's rapid advance and the fall of Kabul led to a sense of urgency in the evacuation efforts. The Taliban had taken control of the whole city except for the airport, which remained under NATO control. As the Taliban sealed off the airport, panic spread among civilians, with many rushing to their homes or the airport in an attempt to flee the country. The situation at the airport was chaotic, with thousands of Afghans rushing to board flights out of the city.

The evacuation of Kabul airport was not without casualties. On 26 August 2021, a suicide bombing took place at Hamid Karzai International Airport, resulting in the deaths of at least 183 people, including 170 Afghan civilians and 13 members of the US military. The Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS–K) claimed responsibility for the attack. This was followed by a US drone strike on 29 August that mistakenly killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children.

The evacuation of over 120,000 people from Kabul airport in August 2021 was a massive undertaking that involved multiple countries and resulted in the successful evacuation of thousands of civilians and vulnerable Afghans. However, the presence of Taliban fighters and the attacks during the evacuation highlighted the dangers and challenges faced by those involved in the operation.

The US and its allies went into Afghanistan to ensure the country would not become a safe haven for terrorists

The length of a soldier's deployment to Afghanistan has varied over the course of the US-led war in the country. The war in Afghanistan, which lasted from 2001 to 2021, was America's longest war.

In the early days of the conflict, soldiers were deployed for around two months. However, as the war progressed, deployments became longer, with some soldiers serving multiple tours of duty. By 2010, the average length of deployment was 7.7 months, with single deployments averaging 8.3 months and multiple deployments averaging 6.8 months. The number of deployments varied by service branch, with the Air Force having the highest average number of deployments at 2.1, and the Coast Guard and Marine Corps the lowest at 1.6 and 1.3, respectively.

The US and its allies went into Afghanistan following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with the stated goal of preventing the country from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists. Over the course of the 20-year war, the mission evolved to include counterinsurgency, nation-building, and training and advising Afghan security forces. Despite the efforts of the US and its allies, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, just one month after the last US soldier left the country.

The war in Afghanistan was a complex and protracted conflict that resulted in significant losses for all involved. The US and its allies failed to achieve their stated goals, and the Taliban ultimately regained power. The legacy of the war includes a generation of veterans who have been shaped by their experiences in Afghanistan, as well as a continued effort to evacuate and resettle Afghans who worked with international forces.

The US and its allies were in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years

The US-led Operation Enduring Freedom was launched following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. The operation aimed to remove the Taliban government from power and capture al-Qaeda members, including Osama bin Laden. The Taliban regime unravelled rapidly after its loss at Mazar-e-Sharif on November 9, 2001, to forces loyal to Abdul Rashid Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek military leader. Over the next week, Taliban strongholds crumbled after coalition and Northern Alliance offensives. On November 13, 2001, Kabul fell, and the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar fled the city.

In December 2001, the United Nations invited major Afghan factions to a conference in Bonn, Germany. The conference resulted in the Bonn Agreement, which installed Hamid Karzai as the interim administration head and created an international peacekeeping force to maintain security in Kabul. The agreement was followed by a UN Security Council resolution that established the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

In August 2003, NATO took the lead of the ISAF operation. The ISAF mission was one of the largest coalitions in history and NATO's longest and most challenging mission to date. At its peak, the force was more than 130,0000 strong, with troops from 50 NATO and partner countries. The mission ended in December 2014 when the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces assumed full responsibility for security across their country.

In January 2015, NATO launched the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) to train, advise, and assist Afghan security forces and institutions to fight terrorism and secure their country. The RSM was terminated in early September 2021 following the withdrawal of all forces.

In February 2020, the US and the Taliban signed an agreement on 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 last US soldier to leave Afghanistan boarded a plane on August 30, 2021.

Over the course of the 20-year conflict, much about the war changed, from its primary mission to the support it enjoyed among the American public. Notably, many veterans' attitudes towards the conflict have also shifted.

Frequently asked questions