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War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) facts for kids

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War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Part of the Global War on Terrorism and the Afghanistan conflict (1978–present)
Seven soldiers in beige tactical gear huddle behind a row of green sandbags on a mountainside, pointing rifles in various directions
A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle dropping 2000-pound munitions
An Afghan National Army soldier in camouflage gear points a rifle over a dirt wall
British soldiers prepare to board a Chinook twin-rotor helicopter landing on a field
An Afghan National Army soldier stands atop a desert-camouflaged Humvee
Taliban soldiers ride a beige Humvee through the streets of Kabul
Soldiers in green camouflage gear trudge through snow during a snowstorm

Clockwise from top-left:
American troops in a firefight with Taliban insurgents in Kunar Province; An American F-15S Strike Eagle dropping 2000 pound JDAMs on a cave in eastern Afghanistan; an Afghan soldier surveying atop a Humvee; Afghan and American soldiers move through snow in Logar Province; victorious Taliban fighters after securing Kabul; an Afghan soldier surveying a valley in Parwan Province; British troops preparing to board a Chinook during Operation Black Prince
Date 7 October 2001 – 15 August 2021
(19 years, 10 months, 1 week and 1 day)
First phase: 7 October 2001 – 28 December 2014
Second phase: 1 January 2015 – 15 August 2021
Location
Result Taliban victory
  • Islamic State–Taliban conflict continues
  • Anti-Taliban Republican insurgency begins
Territorial
changes
Taliban control over Afghanistan increases compared to pre-intervention territory
Belligerents
Invasion (2001):
 Northern Alliance
 United States
 United Kingdom
 Canada
 Germany
 Australia
 Italy
 New Zealand
Invasion (2001):
 Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
 Al-Qaeda
 055 Brigade
ISAF/RS phase (2001–2021):
 Islamic State of Afghanistan (2001–2002)
 Afghan Transitional Authority (2002–2004)
 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004–2021)  Resolute Support (2015–2021; 36 countries)
High Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (allegedly; from 2015)
Khost Protection Force and other pro-government paramilitaries
ISAF/RS phase (2001–2021):
 Taliban
  • Haqqani network (from 2002)
 Al-Qaeda
  • Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent
Taliban splinter groups
  • Mullah Dadullah Front (from 2012)
  • Fidai Mahaz (from 2013)

RS phase (2015–2021):

ISIL–KP (from 2015)
  • Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (since 2015)
Commanders and leaders
Strength

ISAF (2001-2014): 130,000 (2012)
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Afghan National Security Forces: 352,000 (2014)
Resolute Support Mission (2015-2021): ~17,000 (2021) Military contractors: 20,000+
High Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: 3,000–3,500

Khost Protection Force: 4,000 (2015)

Afghanistan Taliban: 60,000
(tentative estimate, 2014)

  • Haqqani network: 4,000–15,000 (2009)

HIG: 1,500–2,000+ (2014)
al-Qaeda: ~300 in 2016 (~ 3,000 in 2001)


Fidai Mahaz: 8,000 (2013)


Islamic State ISIL–KP: 3,500–4,000 (2018, in Afghanistan)
Casualties and losses

Afghan security forces:
66,000–69,095 killed
Northern Alliance:
200 killed

Coalition:
Dead: 3,579

  • United States: 2,420
  • United Kingdom: 457
  • Canada: 159
  • France: 90
  • Germany: 62
  • Italy: 53
  • Others: 338

Wounded: 23,536

  • United States: 20,713
  • United Kingdom: 2,188
  • Canada: 635

Contractors
Dead: 3,917
Wounded: 15,000+

Total killed: 76,591

Taliban insurgents:
52,893 killed (2,000+ al-Qaeda fighters)


ISIL–KP:
2,400+ killed

Civilians killed: 46,319


Total killed: 176,206 (per Brown University)
212,191+ (per UCDP)


a  The continued list includes nations who have contributed fewer than 200 troops as of November 2014.

b  The continued list includes nations who have contributed fewer than 200 troops as of May 2017.
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.
US-UK-Sangin2007
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.

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 US invaded Afghanistan in 2001. 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, 5,000.00 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.

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.

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.

Deaths and injuries

More than 15,000 Coalition soldiers were wounded: 6,773 US, 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.

Aftermath

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

Gallery

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Guerra de Afganistán (2001-2021) para niños

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