The Story
The US is officially out of Afghanistan – ending 20 years of war.
That’s a long time.
It is. In October 2001, the US invaded Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. The goal was to end the Taliban's rule and take down al-Qaeda. The Taliban – an Islamist militant group – had ruled Afghanistan since 1996, imposing harsh laws. Think: no music, movies, work for women, or schooling for girls past the age of 10. The group was quickly overthrown by US forces at the end of 2001. But growing threats of terrorism in the region and of the Taliban’s resurgence kept American boots on the ground for over a decade.
Tell me more.
Estimates show that about 70,000 Afghan security forces have been killed in the conflict. And over 3,500 soldiers have died since 2001 — most of whom were Americans. In 2020, former President Trump reached a deal with the Taliban to get US troops out by May 2021. But President Biden extended that deadline to Aug 31, saying the US accomplished its goals and that the country was done with the "unwinnable war." Yesterday – ahead of schedule – the Pentagon announced the last US flight out of Afghanistan took off. Military officials reportedly said the decision to depart hours early was intentional. And came amid a mix of concerns about things like stormy weather, potential ISIS-K attacks, and people storming the airport. And now, America's longest war is finally over.
It really happened.
Yes. But it hasn't been smooth sailing. In the two weeks leading up to the US’s withdrawal, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan – raising concerns about women’s rights and the security of Afghan allies. Despite pleas from world leaders and US lawmakers, the Biden admin – facing threats from the Taliban – stood by its Aug 31 deadline. And pressed on with evacuations in the face of deadly ISIS-K bombings and attempted rocket attacks. Last week, 182 people died in two explosions near the Kabul airport – including 169 Afghans and 13 US service members. Meanwhile, more than 120,000 people – including 6,000 Americans – have been evacuated from the country. But not everyone got out.
Go on.
Tens of thousands of Afghans and over 100 Americans are still in Afghanistan. Marine General Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, lamented that they didn't "get everybody out" in time. Biden's expected to address the nation today with the latest updates from the region. The Taliban – in an agreement with 98 countries – promised to let people leave Afghanistan safely. But after they gained full control of the Kabul airport, it's TBD if that promise will be kept.
theSkimm
Afghanistan’s fate is unclear. But one thing that's not: the US has closed a decades-long chapter. Now, it’ll be up to the US and other countries to determine how they’ll work with the Taliban, for the sake of thousands of Afghans left behind.
