On August 30, 2021, the last U.S. military planes departed Kabul airport, marking the end of America’s longest war and a chaotic conclusion to the nearly 20-year conflict in Afghanistan. The final withdrawal came just before the August 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden, bringing to a close a tumultuous chapter in U.S. foreign policy and military history.
The departure of American forces was the culmination of a rapid and controversial withdrawal process that began in earnest earlier that year. President Biden announced in April 2021 his decision to pull all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that precipitated the war. This deadline was later moved up to August 31.
As the withdrawal progressed, the situation on the ground deteriorated rapidly. The Taliban, the militant group that U.S. forces had ousted from power in 2001, swiftly regained control of much of the country. On August 15, 2021, Kabul, the capital city, fell to Taliban forces, catching many by surprise and triggering a frantic evacuation effort.
The final two weeks of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan were marked by chaos and tragedy. Thousands of Afghans, fearing Taliban rule, desperately sought to flee the country. Images of crowds swarming the Kabul airport and clinging to departing planes shocked the world. A terrorist attack by ISIS-K on August 26 near the airport killed 13 U.S. service members and scores of Afghan civilians, further complicating the evacuation efforts.
Despite the challenges, U.S. forces and their allies managed to airlift more than 123,000 civilians out of Afghanistan in what officials described as one of the largest airlifts in history. However, the operation also left behind thousands of Afghan allies and some U.S. citizens, drawing criticism from various quarters.
As the last C-17 cargo plane lifted off from Hamid Karzai International Airport just before midnight on August 30, it marked not only the end of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan but also the conclusion of a two-decade-long attempt at nation-building. The withdrawal sparked intense debate about the war’s legacy, the fate of Afghanistan under Taliban rule, and America’s role on the global stage.
The departure of U.S. troops from Afghanistan closed a significant chapter in American history, but its repercussions continue to shape international relations and regional dynamics in Central and South Asia.
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