War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Template:War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) infobox

Clockwise from top: A U.S. Air Force warplane dropping a JDAM on a cave in eastern Afghanistan; US soldiers in a firefight with Taliban forces in Kunar Province; An Afghan National Army soldier surveying atop a Humvee; Afghan and US soldiers move through snow in Logar Province; Canadian forces fire an M777 howitzer in Helmand Province; An Afghan soldier surveying a valley in Parwan Province; British troops preparing to board a Chinook during Operation Tor Shezada.
UK and US forces in Afghanistan in 2006

The War in Afghanistan was a war fought by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, The Netherlands, Australia and other countries against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, after the terrorist attacks against the US on September 11, 2001.[1]

On 31 August 2021 (local time), the war ended as the last coalition soldiers (from foreign countries), left Afghanistan.[2][3]

History

The war started when the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001.[4] The US and its allies forced the Taliban and Al-Qaeda to hide. In December 2001, the US and its allies founded a new government for Afghanistan. Its president was Hamid Karzai.

By February 2002, 5,000 soldiers from ISAF (or International Security Assistance Force) were in Afghanistan.[5] That military force was led by United States. ISAF's soldiers were on loan from the militaries of NATO countries and allied countries. In 2012 ISAF was at its maximum: 130,000 soldiers (in Afghanistan).[6]

In 2004 Hamid Karzai started as the first president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.[7] Even though the Taliban had lost power, they formed a "shadow government". Taliban insurgents, or fighters, controlled many parts of Afghanistan, and enforced their own laws.[8]

Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, May 2011.

British troops left Afghanistan in 2015, after 5 years of training the Afghanistan police to deal with threats from the Taliban.[9]

After security deteriorated, American soldiers returned and over 10,000 were in the country at the end of 2017. In 2020, the US and NATO allies promised to leave Afghanistan as long as the Taliban agreed to certain things: not allowing terrorists to operate in its area, and starting peace talks with the Afghanistan government.[10] In mid-2021, the Taliban began a military offensive to enlarge their territory as US and allied forces began to leave. By August 15, 2021, the Taliban had recaptured Kabul and defeated the Afghan government.[11]

An anti-Taliban front took control of the Panjshir Valley, in August 2021.

During the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan, over 150,000 people chose to to be taken out of Afghanistan; They were diplomats, other civilian staff, other civilians, and military staff.[12][13]

The last military airplanes of the United States, left the airport in Kabul, one minute before 31 August 2021.[14]

On 31 August 2021 (local time), the war ended.[2]

Deaths and injuries

More than 15,000 Coalition soldiers were wounded: 6,773 US,[15] 3,954 UK,[16][17] 1,500 Canadian[18] and over 2,500 other Coalition soldiers. 5,500 Afghan army soldiers and 200 Northern Alliance militants were killed in this war. 378 US civilian contractors were killed and 7,224.

Aftermath

An anti-Taliban front has control of the Panjshir Valley, as of 2021's third quarter.

Gallery

War In Afghanistan (2001–2021) Media

References

  1. The U.S. War in Afghanistan. September 12, 2020. https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-war-afghanistan. Retrieved October 27, 2020. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "The last US military planes have left Afghanistan, marking the end of the United States' longest war". 30 August 2021.
  3. Afghanistan Live Updates: The United States Occupation Is Over
  4. "Afghanistan: Why is there a war?" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2021-08-10. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49192495. Retrieved 2021-08-17. 
  5. ISAF in Afghanistan Archived 12 June 2002 at the Wayback Machine CDI, Terrorism Project – 14 February 2002.
  6. "NATO sets "irreversible" but risky course to end Afghan war". Reuters. 21 May 2012. http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCABRE84J02C20120521?sp=true. Retrieved 22 May 2012. 
  7. Neumann, Brian F. (2013). Operation Enduring Freedom. March 2002-April 2005. U.S. Army Center of Military History.
  8. Witte, Griff (2009-12-08) (in en-US). Taliban establishes elaborate shadow government in Afghanistan. ISSN 0190-8286 . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/07/AR2009120704127.html. Retrieved 2021-08-17. 
  9. "U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) - Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation (DLHWC) -". dol.gov.
  10. "Afghanistan: Biden calls for end to 'America's longest war'" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2021-04-14. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56750439. Retrieved 2021-08-17. 
  11. Zucchino, David (2021-08-16). "The War in Afghanistan: How It Started and How It Is Ending" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . https://www.nytimes.com/article/afghanistan-war-us.html. Retrieved 2021-08-17. 
  12. "Afghanistan: How many people have been evacuated by each country?". Sky News. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  13. "Factbox: Evacuations from Afghanistan by country". Reuters. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  14. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/rockets-fired-kabul-airport-us-troops-race-complete-evacuation-2021-08-30/. Retrieved 31 August 2021
  15. "US casualties" (PDF). United States Department of Defense.
  16. "Op Herrick". Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  17. http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/03645441-065E-4E0A-9F62-B8AEBDAC8151/0/opherrickcasualtytablesto15june2010.pdf
  18. Wark, Bruce. "1,580 Canadian soldiers injured and killed in Afghanistan". The Coast Halifax.