War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

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.]]

The **War in Afghanistan** (Pashto: بِهِ افْغَانِسْتَانْ كَيْ جَكْرَهْ) 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 September 11 attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001.

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

## History
The war started when the United States  Afghanistan in 2001. The US and its allies forced the Taliban and Al-Qaeda to hide in the mountains. 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. 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).

In 2004 Hamid Karzai started as the first president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 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.

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.

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. 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.

An anti-Taliban front took control of the Panjshir Valley, in August 2021 but lost control later that year due to the Taliban sending its forces.

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

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

On 31 August 2021 (local time), the war ended. 3,954 UK, 1,500 Canadian 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.

## Gallery

File:Taliban fighters during 2021 offensive.png|Taliban fighters in 2021.
File:Romanian military convoy in Afghanistan.JPEG|ISAF soldiers on loan from the Romanian Land Forces between Kandahar and Kabul in 2003
File:Afghan Commando.jpg|A soldier of the Afghan National Army in Kandahar Province in 2008
File:Aeromobilní operace 43. vpr, Afghánistán - Logar, 2009.jpeg|ISAF soldiers on loan from the Czech Republic's army in Logar Province in 2009
File:Bundeswehr Dingo outside of Mazar-e-Sharif (cropped).jpg|ISAF soldiers on loan from Germany's *Bundeswehr* near Mazar-i-Sharif in 2009
File:Dutch Panzerhaubitz fires in Afghanistan.jpg|A howitzer of the Royal Netherlands Army in 2009
File:Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter firing flares over Afghanistan MOD 45158742.jpg|A helicopter of Britain's Royal Air Force in Helmand Province in 2015
File:Afghan Air Force Super Tucano A-29 over Kabul Afghanistan, (Photo by Maj. M.R.T "Mickey").jpg|Aeroplanes of the Afghan Air Force above Kabul in 2016

## References