The Enduring Us Presence In Afghanistan: A Timeline Of Key Events

The United States' war in Afghanistan was its longest war, lasting 20 years. It began in 2001 when an international coalition led by the USA invaded Afghanistan to destroy the terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda after the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden. The Taliban regime was removed from power and a new government was formed. At the height of the conflict, there were more than 130,000 NATO troops on the ground. The war ended in August 2021 when the United States withdrew its remaining troops from Afghanistan.

The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to destroy Al-Qaeda

The invasion of Afghanistan, dubbed "Operation Enduring Freedom", began on October 7, 2001, with intense bombing campaigns by American and British forces, targeting Taliban and Al-Qaeda installations. Logistical support was provided by other nations, including France, Germany, Australia, and Canada. The Northern Alliance, an anti-Taliban coalition, also provided ground troops and critical support.

The invasion of Afghanistan was intended to target and capture Osama bin Laden and destroy Al-Qaeda, which was based in the country. The Taliban regime, which had imposed an extremist version of Islam and perpetrated countless human rights abuses, refused to hand over bin Laden and expel Al-Qaeda militants from Afghanistan.

The air campaign softened Taliban defences, and by November 13, 2001, the Northern Alliance forces, with US and allied air and ground support, marched into Kabul as the Taliban retreated. Kandahar, the last Taliban stronghold, fell in early December, and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar went into hiding.

Despite the rapid collapse of the Taliban regime, most members of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban's leadership, including bin Laden, escaped into neighbouring Pakistan or retreated to remote regions. Al-Qaeda fighters continued to hide out in Afghanistan's mountainous Tora Bora region, where they were engaged by anti-Taliban Afghan forces, backed by US Special Forces.

The invasion of Afghanistan marked the beginning of a 20-year conflict, which became the longest war in US history. The initial goal of destroying Al-Qaeda and capturing bin Laden was only partially achieved, as bin Laden escaped and was killed nearly a decade later, in 2011, in Pakistan. The war resulted in significant casualties, with thousands of coalition troops, Afghan security forces, and civilians killed and injured.

The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan after the US withdrawal

The Taliban's return to power in 2021 came two decades after their removal by US-led forces. The Taliban's swift offensive came as the US withdrew its remaining troops from Afghanistan as outlined in a 2020 peace agreement with the group.

The Taliban's resurgence was aided by the disintegration of the Afghan security forces, which failed to counter the Taliban's advance. The Taliban's success was also due to the group's ability to exploit the weaknesses of the Afghan government and the US military's focus on counterterrorism operations rather than nation-building.

The Taliban's return to power has resulted in a rollback of women's rights and a deterioration of living standards for Afghans. The group has imposed strict interpretations of Islamic law, restricted women's access to education and employment, and cracked down on dissent. The economy has collapsed, with mass unemployment, a housing market collapse, and increased malnutrition.

The Taliban's rule has also raised concerns about the country becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda. The Taliban's inability or unwillingness to break with al-Qaeda was highlighted by the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in a US drone strike in Kabul in 2022.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan has been criticized for its chaotic nature, with thousands of Afghans who worked with US forces left behind and a rushed evacuation effort that resulted in tragic scenes at Kabul's airport. The Biden administration has defended its decision, arguing that the counterterrorism mission was complete and that the Afghan security forces were expected to put up more resistance.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan was completed in August 2021

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan was completed on 30 August 2021, marking the end of the 20-year war. The last US military planes left Kabul airport at 11:59 pm local time. The withdrawal was carried out following the US-Taliban deal signed in February 2020, which stipulated fighting restrictions for both parties and the withdrawal of all US troops by 1 May 2021.

The US-Taliban deal was signed by the Trump administration and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar. It was one of the critical events that triggered the collapse of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). The deal also led to a reduction in the number of air attacks on the Taliban by the US, which was detrimental to the ANSF fighting the Taliban insurgency.

In April 2021, the Biden administration decided to pull out all US troops by 11 September 2021. The withdrawal was later brought forward to 31 August. The US also launched Operation Allies Refuge to airlift American translators and select Afghan citizens considered at risk of reprisals.

The Taliban began a final offensive on 1 May, and by 15 August, they had taken over the capital city of Kabul. The US increased its troops to 7,000 to aid in the evacuation of embassy personnel, US nationals, and Special Immigrant Visa applicants. The last US military planes left Afghanistan on 30 August 2021, marking the end of the US-led war in Afghanistan.

The US war in Afghanistan lasted 20 years and was America's longest war

The war began in 2001 when an international coalition led by the USA invaded Afghanistan to destroy the terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda after the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden. The Taliban regime was removed from power and a new government was formed. At the height of the conflict, there were more than 130,000 NATO troops on the ground.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan was a direct response to the September 11 attacks. Within 10 days, US President George W Bush declared a 'War on Terror' and stated that defeating terrorism was now the world's fight.

The conflict officially ended with the 2021 Taliban offensive, which overthrew the Islamic Republic and re-established the Islamic Emirate. The last US military aircraft departed from Afghanistan on 30 August 2021, marking the end of America's longest war.

The war in Afghanistan was the longest war in US military history, surpassing the length of the Vietnam War (1955-1975) by approximately six months. The conflict resulted in staggering costs for the US, Afghanistan and others. The US government spent $2.3 trillion, and the war led to the deaths of 2,324 US military personnel, 3,917 US contractors and 1,144 allied troops. For Afghans, the statistics are unimaginable: 70,000 Afghan military and police deaths, 46,319 Afghan civilians, and some 53,000 opposition fighters killed.

The full extent of the indirect costs is even greater, considering injuries and illnesses, displacement, war widows and orphans, malnutrition, destruction of infrastructure and environmental degradation due to the war. The war also resulted in a refugee crisis as many Afghans fled the country.

The US exit from Afghanistan raised fears that terrorists might use the country as a safe haven. In July 2021, the US military killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, the al-Qaida leader, in a drone strike in the nation's capital, Kabul.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan was part of a coalition of over 130,000 NATO troops

The invasion was led by the US, with support from the UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany. The coalition drove the Taliban from power and built military bases near major cities across the country. The invasion was a military success, with the Taliban losing control of most of the country within weeks. However, most members of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban were not captured, escaping to neighbouring Pakistan or retreating to remote regions.

The coalition remained in Afghanistan to support the new Afghan government and prevent the Taliban from returning to power. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a security mission sanctioned by the United Nations, was established with the goal of creating a new democratic authority in the country. The ISAF was initially led by the UK and consisted of 8,000 American and 5,000 coalition soldiers. The ISAF's mandate did not extend beyond the Kabul area for the first few years.

The US-led coalition forces faced a protracted insurgency from the Taliban, who reorganised and began a widespread insurgency against the new Afghan government and coalition forces. In response, the coalition sent a major influx of troops for counter-insurgency operations, with a "clear and hold" strategy for villages and towns. This influx peaked in 2011, with roughly 140,000 foreign troops operating under ISAF command across Afghanistan.

In 2014, NATO formally ended ISAF combat operations in Afghanistan and officially transferred full security responsibility to the Afghan government. However, the Taliban continued to gain strength, and in 2021, they launched a broad offensive that successfully re-established their control over Afghanistan.

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