Paul M. Krueger

The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan begins with an air assault and covert operations on the ground, starting the longest war in American history.

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ㅤIn response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States launched the “war on terror,” leading a multinational invasion of Afghanistan. The primary goals were to dismantle al-Qaeda, which was led by Osama bin Laden, and to overthrow the Taliban government that provided them a safe base. After the Taliban refused to extradite bin Laden, the U.S., with key support from the United Kingdom and Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance, began Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001. This coalition quickly toppled the Taliban regime by December, capturing Kabul and other major cities. However, most high-ranking members of al-Qaeda and the Taliban, including bin Laden, escaped. He was later killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in 2011 during Operation Neptune Spear.

ㅤFollowing the initial invasion, the United Nations established an international security force (ISAF) to oversee military operations and train new Afghan forces, while a new interim government was formed. The Taliban, however, reorganized and launched a persistent insurgency, leading to two decades of protracted conflict. In mid-2021, as the U.S. and its allies began their final withdrawal, the Taliban initiated a swift offensive across the country. This culminated in the capture of Kabul in August 2021, the collapse of the Afghan government, and the re-establishment of Taliban rule.