Global Powers Unite: The Multi-Country Invasion Of Afghanistan In 2001

In 2001, the United States, alongside the United Kingdom, led an invasion of Afghanistan in response to the September 11 attacks. The conflict in Afghanistan would span two decades and become the longest war in U.S. history.

The invasion of Afghanistan was intended to target terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda organization, which was based in the country, as well as the extreme fundamentalist Taliban government that had ruled most of the country since 1996 and supported and protected al-Qaeda.

The U.S. military, with British support, began a bombing campaign against Taliban forces, officially launching Operation Enduring Freedom. Australia, Canada, France, and Germany pledged future support. The war’s early phase mainly involved U.S. air strikes on al-Qaeda and Taliban forces that were assisted by a partnership of about one thousand U.S. special forces, the Northern Alliance, and ethnic Pashtun anti-Taliban forces.

The US-led coalition began attacks on Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks

The US-led coalition began attacks on Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, with an intense bombing campaign by American and British forces. The invasion of Afghanistan was the opening salvo in the United States' "war on terror". The coalition forces consisted of American, British, Canadian, Australian, and German forces, with other nations providing logistical support.

The coalition forces drove the Taliban from power and set up military bases near major cities across the country. However, most members of al-Qaeda and the Taliban were not captured. Osama bin Laden escaped into neighbouring Pakistan, and the Taliban regrouped to launch an insurgency against the coalition forces.

The invasion of Afghanistan was the opening salvo in the US war on terror

The US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 was the opening salvo in the US war on terror. The US-led invasion was a direct response to the September 11 attacks, which were executed by al-Qaeda under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. The stated goal of the invasion was to dismantle al-Qaeda and to deny Islamist militants a safe base of operations by toppling the Taliban government, which had seized around 85% of Afghanistan's territory.

The invasion of Afghanistan marked the first phase of what would become a 20-year-long war. The United States declared the war on terror and subsequently led a multinational coalition, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, and Germany, in an armed conflict against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. The US did not invade alone, and it was joined by over a dozen countries. The invasion began with an air campaign that softened Taliban defences, followed by a ground invasion with Northern Alliance forces providing most of the troops and the US and other nations giving air and ground support.

The coalition rapidly made progress, capturing Kabul and driving the Taliban from power within a few months. By early December, the last Taliban stronghold had fallen, and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar went into hiding. However, most members of al-Qaeda and the Taliban were not captured and escaped to neighbouring Pakistan or retreated to remote regions.

The conflict in Afghanistan officially ended in 2021 with the Taliban offensive, which overthrew the Islamic Republic and re-established the Islamic Emirate. The invasion of Afghanistan was a controversial decision, with legal scholars debating the legality of the use of force against the country. Despite the lengthy war and the eventual return to Taliban rule, the invasion did achieve a degree of success in disrupting al-Qaeda and denying them a safe haven in Afghanistan for many years.

The conflict in Afghanistan became the longest war in US history

The US and its allies remained in Afghanistan, with the goal of creating a democratic government and preventing the Taliban from returning to power. However, the war dragged on, with the Taliban insurgency gaining strength and inflicting heavy casualties. The US and its allies attempted various strategies, including a surge of troops and attempts at peace negotiations, but ultimately failed to defeat the Taliban.

In 2021, the US announced its intention to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan, and the Taliban swiftly regained control of the country. The war resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and a price tag of over $2 trillion. It highlighted the challenges of nation-building and counterinsurgency in a complex and culturally diverse country. It also raised questions about the effectiveness of US military intervention and the role of the US in the world.

The invasion of Afghanistan was intended to target terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda organisation

Osama bin Laden was the founder of al-Qaeda, a militant Islamist organisation. He was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 1957 and was the son of a wealthy Saudi businessman. He studied civil engineering at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, where he was influenced by the Islamic revivalist Sayyid Qutb. Bin Laden was involved in the Afghan jihad against the Soviet Union and supported the mujahideen during the Afghan War.

Bin Laden was believed to be hiding in Afghanistan, and the United States demanded that the Taliban hand him over. The Taliban refused, and so the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom on 7 October 2001, alongside the United Kingdom. The invasion began with an intense bombing campaign by American and British forces, and the Taliban was quickly expelled from major population centres.

Bin Laden was thought to be hiding in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan, where he was engaged by anti-Taliban Afghan forces, backed by US Special Forces troops. Bin Laden eventually escaped to neighbouring Pakistan, where he was killed by US Navy SEALs in May 2011.

The Taliban regime unravelled rapidly after its loss at Mazar-e-Sharif

The fall of Mazar-i-Sharif was the first major defeat for the Taliban. The city was the last northern holdout city, and its capture opened supply routes and provided an airstrip for American aircraft. The battle was the Taliban's first major defeat and precipitated a rapid transfer of territory in northern Afghanistan.

The loss at Mazar-e-Sharif was a "major shock" since the United States Central Command had originally believed that the city would remain in Taliban hands well into the following year. The city was strategically important, and its capture was a "major setback" for the government. The fall of Mazar-i-Sharif and the events surrounding it were dramatized in the 2018 film "12 Strong", directed by Nicolai Fuglsig and based on the book "Horse Soldiers" by Doug Stanton.

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