War in Afghanistan (or US War in Afghanistan ; code named Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (2001-2014) and Operation Freedom's Sentinel (2015-present)) following the US invasion of Afghanistan on October 7, 2001. The US was initially supported by Britain and Canada and later by coalitions in more than 40 countries, including all NATO members.. The public aim of the war is to dismantle al-Qaeda and deny it as a safe base of operations in Afghanistan by removing the Taliban from power. The war in Afghanistan is the second longest war in US history, behind the Vietnam War.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, which President George W. Bush blamed on Osama bin Laden living or hiding in Afghanistan, President Bush demanded that the Taliban surrender Osama bin Laden and drive out al-Qaeda; bin Laden has been wanted by the United States since 1998. The Taliban refused to extradite him unless they were given evidence of his involvement in the September 11 attacks and also refused a request to extradite others for the same reason. The US rejected the request for proof as a delay tactic, and on 7 October 2001 launched Operation Enduring Freedom with the UK. The two then joined forces with other forces, including the Northern Alliance which has been fighting the Taliban in the ongoing civil war since 1996. In December 2001, the UN Security Council established the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), to assist the Afghan interim authorities by securing Kabul. At the Bonn Conference that same month, Hamid Karzai was elected to head the Afghan Interim Government, which, after 2002, loya jirga (large trial) in Kabul became the Afghan Transitional Administration. In the popular elections of 2004, Karzai was elected president of the country, now called the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
NATO became involved in ISAF in August 2003, and later that year took over its leadership. At this stage, ISAF includes troops from 43 countries with NATO members who give the majority of troops. One part of US forces in Afghanistan operates under NATO command; the rest remained under US direct orders.
After the defeat in the initial invasion, the Taliban was reorganized by its leader Mullah Omar, and launched a rebellion against the government and the ISAF in 2003. Despite losing and losing, rebels from the Taliban, Haqqani Networks, Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin and other groups have stirred up asymmetric warfare with guerilla attacks and raids in the countryside, suicide attacks on urban targets and killing criminals against coalition forces. The Taliban exploit weaknesses in the Afghan government, one of the most corrupt in the world, to reassert influence in rural areas in southern and eastern Afghanistan. In the early years of small skirmishes, but since 2006 the Taliban made significant gains and showed an increasing desire to commit atrocities against civilians. ISAF responded in 2006 by raising troops for counter-insurgency operations to "cleanse and hold" villages and "nation-building" projects to "win hearts and minds". Violence increased sharply from 2007 to 2009. While ISAF continues to fight Taliban militants, fighting flies across North-West Pakistan. The number of troops began to increase in 2009 continues to increase until 2011 when about 140,000 foreign troops operate under the command of ISAF and US in Afghanistan. Of these 100,000 people are from the US. On May 1, 2011, the US Navy SEAL killed Osama bin Laden in Abbotabad, Pakistan.
In May 2012, NATO leaders supported an exit strategy to withdraw their troops. UN-backed peace talks have since taken place between the Afghan government and the Taliban. In May 2014, the United States announced that its main combat operations would expire in December 2014, and would leave the remaining forces in the country. In October 2014, British troops submitted their last base in Helmand to the Afghan military, formally ending their combat operations in the war. On December 28, 2014, NATO officially ended ISAF combat operations in Afghanistan and formally transferred full security responsibility to the Afghan government. The NATO-led Operation Resolution Support was formed on the same day as ISAF's successor. As of May 2017, more than 13,000 foreign troops remain in Afghanistan without an official plan to resign.
Tens of thousands of people were killed in the war. More than 4,000 ISAF troops and civilian contractors, more than 15,000 Afghan national security forces have been killed, and more than 31,000 civilians.
Video War in Afghanistan (2001-present)
Before the start of the war
The origins of Afghan civil war
The political order of Afghanistan began to collapse with the overthrow of King Zahir Shah by his distant cousin, Mohammed Daoud Khan, in a bloodless 1973 Afghan coup. Daoud Khan has served as prime minister since 1953 and promotes economic modernization, women's emancipation, and Pashtun nationalism. This threatens to neighboring Pakistan, faced with anxious Pashtun population. In the mid-1970s, Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto began to encourage Afghan Islamist leaders such as Burhanuddin Rabbani and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, to fight the regime. In 1978, Daoud Khan was killed in a coup by the Afghan Communist Party, his former government counterpart, known as the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). PDPA encourages socialist transformation by eliminating matchmaking, promoting mass literacy and reforming land ownership. It weakens the traditional tribal order and provokes opposition in rural areas. The PDPA's harsh acts were greeted with open uprisings, including the Herat Khan Uprising. The PDPA was beset by internal leadership differences and weakened by an internal coup on September 11, 1979 when Hafizullah Amin overthrew Nur Muhammad Taraki. The Soviet Union felt the weakness of the PDPA, military intervention three months later, to overthrow Amin and install another PDA faction headed by Babrak Karmal.
The inclusion of Soviet troops in Afghanistan in December 1979 prompted the Cold War, US, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China counterparts to support rebels who fought against the Soviet-backed Soviet-backed Democratic Republic. Unlike secular and socialist governments, which control cities, mujahidin with religious motives are in control in many rural areas. In addition to Rabbani, Hekmatyar, and Khan, other mujahidin commanders include Jalaluddin Haqqani. The CIA works closely with Pakistani Inter-Agency Intelligence to channel foreign support for the Mujahideen. The war also attracted Arab volunteers, known as "Afghan Arabs", including Osama bin Laden.
Following the withdrawal of the Soviet military from Afghanistan in May 1989, the PDPA regime under Najibullah was detained until 1992, when the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the aid regime, and Uzbek defection of Abdul Rashid Dostum cleared the approach to Kabul.. With the political stage cleared of the socialists, the warlords, some of them Islamists, compete for power. At that time, Bin Laden had left the country and the interests of the United States in Afghanistan were also reduced.
Warlord Rule (1992-1996)
In 1992, Rabbani officially became president of the Islamic State of Afghanistan, but had to fight with other warlords to take control of Kabul. In late 1994, Rabbani's defense minister, Ahmad Shah Massoud, defeated Hekmatyar in Kabul and ended an ongoing bombing in the capital. Massoud tries to start a national political process with the aim of national consolidation. Other warlords, including Ismail Khan in the west and Dostum in the north, defended their territory.
In 1994, Mohammed Omar, a mujahidin member who taught at a Pakistani madrassa, returned to Kandahar and formed the Taliban movement. His followers are religious students, known as the Talib and they seek to end warlords through strict adherence to Islamic law. In November 1994, the Taliban took control of the entire province of Kandahar. They rejected the government's offer to join the coalition government and marched in Kabul in 1995.
Taliban Emirate vs. Northern Alliance
The Taliban's early victory in 1994 was followed by a series of costly defeats. Pakistan provides strong support to the Taliban. Analysts like Amin Saikal described the group as developing into a proxy force for Pakistan's regional interests, which the Taliban rejected. The Taliban started firing on Kabul in early 1995, but was pushed back by Massoud.
On September 27, 1996, the Taliban, with military backing by Pakistan and financial support from Saudi Arabia, captured Kabul and established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. They impose their fundamentalist interpretations of Islam in areas under their control, issuing fatwas prohibiting women from working outside the home, going to school, or leaving their homes unless accompanied by male relatives. According to Pakistani expert Ahmed Rashid, "between 1994 and 1999, about 80,000 to 100,000 Pakistanis were trained and fought in Afghanistan" on the Taliban side.
Massoud and Dostum, former arch-enemies, formed the United Front against the Taliban, commonly known as the Northern Alliance. In addition to troops Tajik Massoud and Uzbek Dostum, the United Front also involves the Hazara factions and Pashtun forces under the leadership of commanders like Abdul Haq and Haji Abdul Qadir. Abdul Haq also collected a small number of deadly Taliban Pashtuns. Both agree to cooperate with the exiled Afghan king, Zahir Shah. The international official who met with representatives of the new alliance, whom journalist Steve Coll referred to as "Pashtun-Tajik great alliance", said, "This is crazy that you have today... Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek, Hazara.. They are all ready to participate in the process... to work under the banner of an ethically balanced king of Afghanistan. "The Northern Alliance receives varying degrees of support from Russia, Iran, Tajikistan and India. The Taliban seized Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998 and drove Dostum into exile.
The conflict was brutal. According to the United Nations, the Taliban, while trying to consolidate control over northern and western Afghanistan, carried out a systematic massacre of civilians. The UN official stated that there were "15 massacres" between 1996 and 2001. The Taliban mainly targeted Shia Hazaras. In retaliation for the execution of 3,000 Taliban prisoners by Uzbekistan general Abdul Malik Pahlawan in 1997, the Taliban executed some 4,000 civilians after taking Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998.
Bin Laden Brigade 055 is responsible for the mass killing of Afghan civilians. Reports by the UN cited eyewitnesses in many villages depicting "Arab fighters carrying long knives used for slitting necks and skinning people".
In 2001, the Taliban controlled as much as 90% of Afghanistan, with the Northern Alliance limited to the northeast corner of the country. Fighting with Taliban forces is around 28,000-30,000 Pakistanis (usually Pashtuns) and 2,000-3,000 al-Qaeda militants. Many Pakistanis are recruited from madrassas. A 1998 document by the US State Department confirms that "20-40 percent of regular [regular] soldiers are Pakistani." The document said that many of the Pakistani parents "knew nothing of their son's military involvement with the Taliban until their bodies were brought back to Pakistan". According to a State Department report and a report by Human Rights Watch, other Pakistani citizens who fought in Afghanistan were regular troops, mainly from the Border Corps, but also from the Pakistani Army providing direct combat support.
Al-Qaeda
In August 1996, Bin Laden was forced to leave Sudan and arrived in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. He had founded Al Qaeda in the late 1980s to support the mujahideen war against the Soviets, but became disillusioned with the fighting among warlords. He grew close to Mullah Omar and transferred Al-Qaeda operations to eastern Afghanistan.
The 9/11 Commission in the US found that under the Taliban, al-Qaeda could use Afghanistan as a place to train and indoctrinate fighters, import weapons, coordinate with other jihadists, and plan terrorist acts. While al-Qaeda maintains its own camps in Afghanistan, it also supports training camps from other organizations. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 people passed through this facility before 9/11, most of which were sent to fight for the Taliban against the United Front. Small numbers were sworn in to al-Qaeda.
After the August 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in connection with bin Laden, President Bill Clinton ordered missile strikes at militant training camps in Afghanistan. US officials are pressing the Taliban to hand over bin Laden. In 1999, the international community imposed sanctions on the Taliban, calling for bin Laden to surrender. The Taliban have repeatedly rejected this demand.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Special Activity Division active paramilitary team in Afghanistan in the 1990s in covert operations to locate and kill or capture Osama bin Laden. These teams planned some operations, but did not receive orders to proceed from President Clinton. Their efforts to build relationships with Afghan leaders proved crucial in the 2001 invasion.
Changes in US policy against Afghanistan
During the Clinton administration, the US tended to support Pakistan and until 1998-1999 had no clear policy towards Afghanistan. In 1997, for example, the US State Department Robin Raphel told Massoud to surrender to the Taliban. Massoud replied that, as long as he controlled the area of ​​his hat, he would continue to defend it from the Taliban. Around the same time, Clinton foreign policy officials flew to northern Afghanistan to try to persuade the United Front to not take advantage of the opportunity to make an important advantage against the Taliban. They insisted it was time for a ceasefire and an arms embargo. At that time, Pakistan began "air transport like Berlin to supply and replenish the Taliban", financed with Saudi money.
US policy towards Afghanistan changed after the 1998 US embassy bombing. Furthermore, Osama bin Laden was indicted for his involvement in the embassy bombing. In 1999 both the United States and the UN imposed sanctions on the Taliban through UN Security Council Resolution 1267, which demanded the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden to trial in the United States and shut down all terrorist bases in Afghanistan. The only collaboration between Massoud and the US at that time was the CIA's efforts to track bin Laden after the 1998 bombings. The US and the EU did not give Massoud support for the war against the Taliban.
In 2001 a policy change was sought by CIA officers who knew Massoud was in progress. CIA lawyers, working with officers in the Near East Division and Counter-Terrorist Center, are beginning to draw up official findings for the signature of President George W. Bush, who legitimized the secret action program in Afghanistan. This will be the first in a decade to try to influence the course of the Afghan war for Massoud. Richard A. Clarke, chairman of the Anti-Terrorism Security Group under Clinton, and then an official in the Bush administration, allegedly presented plans to enter Bush National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice in January 2001.
Changes in US policy were made in August 2001. The Bush administration approved the plan to begin supporting Massoud. A meeting of national security officials agreed that the Taliban would be given an ultimatum to hand over bin Laden and other al-Qaeda operations. If the Taliban refuse, the US will provide secret military aid to anti-Taliban groups. If both options fail, "the deputies agreed that the United States would seek to overthrow the Taliban regime through more direct action."
Northern Alliance at night 9/11
Ahmad Shah Massoud is the only leader of the United Front in Afghanistan. In areas under his rule, Massoud established democratic institutions and signed the Declaration on the Rights of Women. As a result, many civilians fled to areas under his control. In total, estimates range from up to a million people who fled the Taliban.
In late 2000, Ahmad Shah Massoud, a Tajik nationalist and leader of the Northern Alliance, invited several other prominent Afghan tribal leaders to the jirga in northern Afghanistan "to resolve the political turmoil in Afghanistan". Among those present were Pashtun nationalists, Abdul Haq and Hamid Karzai.
In early 2001, Massoud and several other Afghan leaders spoke to the European Parliament in Brussels, asking the international community to provide humanitarian aid. The Afghan envoy reiterated that the Taliban and al-Qaeda have introduced "a very wrong perception of Islam" and that without the support of Pakistan and Osama bin Laden, the Taliban will not be able to maintain their military campaign for another year. Massoud warned that his intelligence had gathered information about a massive attack that would occur on US soil.
On September 9, 2001, two French-speaking Algerians posed when journalists killed Massoud in a suicide attack in Takhar Province in Afghanistan. The two perpetrators were later alleged to be members of al-Qaeda. They interviewed Massoud before detonating a bomb hidden in their video camera. The two men allegedly al-Qaeda men were later killed by bodyguard Massoud.
September 11th Attack
On the morning of September 11, 2001, a total of 19 Arabs conducted four coordinated attacks in the United States. Four commercial passenger jets were hijacked. The hijackers - Al-Qaeda cell members in Hamburg - deliberately crashed two planes into the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York City, killing everyone on board and over 2,000 people in buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours of collision-related damage, destroyed nearby buildings, and damaged others. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville, in rural Pennsylvania, after several passengers and crew tried to regain control of the plane, which the pirates hijacked into the Washington, DC, to target the White House, or US Capitol. No one was boarding the plane congratulations. According to the New York State Department of Health, the death toll among the respondents including firefighters and police was 836 in June 2009. The number of deaths was 2996, including 19 hijackers.
Maps War in Afghanistan (2001-present)
History
US. invasion of Afghanistan
The invasion of the United States into Afghanistan came after the September 11 attacks in late 2001, supported by allies including Britain.
US President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden and drive al-Qaeda out of Afghanistan. Bin Laden has been wanted by the United States since 1998 for the bombing of two US embassies and was never formally indicted for the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban government refused to extradite him (or anyone else sought by the US) unless it provided evidence of his involvement in the 9/11 attacks. They ignore US demands to close al-Qaeda base. The demand for evidence of bin Laden's involvement was rejected by the US as a delay tactic.
Immediately after the attacks, General Tommy Franks, commander of the Central Command (CENTCOM) at the time, initially applied to President George W. Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that the United States attacked Afghanistan using a conventional force of 60,000 troops, preceded by six month of preparation. Rumsfield and Bush are worried that conventional invasions in Afghanistan can be stalled as happened to the Soviets and the British. Rumsfield rejects Frank's plan, saying "I want people on the ground now!" Frank returns the next day with plans to use US Special Forces. On September 26, 2001, fifteen days after the 9/11 attacks, the US covertly included members of the CIA's Special Activities Division led by Gary Schroen as part of the Jawbreaker team to Afghanistan, forming the Northern Afghanistan Liaison Team. They are connected with the Northern Alliance as part of the Task Force Dagger.
Two weeks later, Task Force Dagger; Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 555 and 595, both 12-man Green Bar teams from 5th Special Forces Group, plus Air Force combat controllers, were flown by helicopter from Karshi-Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan over 300 kilometers (190 million) across the mountain Hindu Kush area of ​​4,000 m (4,900 m) in condition not seen by two SOAR MH-47E Chinook helicopters. The Chinooks refueled in flight three times during the 11-hour mission, building a new world record for combat rotorcraft missions at the time. They are connected with the CIA and the Northern Alliance. Within weeks, the Northern Alliance, with help from US ground and air forces, captured some of the main towns of the Taliban.
The US officially launched Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001 with the help of the United Kingdom. The two then joined another country. The US and its allies push the Taliban out of power and build military bases near major cities across the country. Most al-Qaeda and Taliban are not arrested, fleeing to neighboring Pakistan or retreating into remote mountainous or rural areas.
On December 20, 2001, the United Nations passed the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), with a mandate to help Afghans maintain security in Kabul and beyond. Originally founded from the 3rd UK Mechanical Division headquarters under Major General John McColl, and for his first years totaled no more than 5,000. Its mandate did not extend beyond Kabul territory for the first few years. Eighteen nations contributed to the force in February 2002.
At the Bonn Conference in December 2001, Hamid Karzai was elected to lead the Provisional Government of Afghanistan, which after the 2002 jirga in Kabul became the Afghan Transitional Administration. In the popular elections of 2004, Karzai was elected president of the country, now called the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The US detected the buildup, and on March 2, 2002, US, Canadian and Afghan forces began "Operation Anaconda" against the rest of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The Hammer Force Force trucks were stuck in the mud while due to a communication error, a massive air bombing did not happen. The less-trained Afghan government forces proved unable to fight al-Qaeda without air support. Iraqi Resistance forces, using small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortars, are entrenched in caves and bunkers on the hillside with altitudes above 3,000 m (10,000 ft). They used "hit-and-run" tactics, fired shots and then retreated to their caves and bunkers to deal with fires and bombings. US commanders initially estimated their opponents as isolated pockets of less than 200. In contrast, the number of guerrillas ranged from 1,000 to 5,000, according to some estimates. On March 6, eight Americans, seven Afghans allied, and up to 400 Al-Qaeda militants have been killed. At one point, while under heavy Al Qaeda troops, Afghan government troops fled in panic and refused to fight, which led people from Task Force Hammer to take Al-Qaeda alone. The incident of "friendly fire" in which American troops were bombed by their air force several times added further difficulties. Sub-engagements include Battle of Takur Ghar in 'Roberts Ridge,' and follow-up Operation Glock and Polar Harpoon.
In August 2003, NATO became involved, taking the lead in ISAF. Several US troops in Afghanistan operate under the NATO command; the remainder remain under US direct orders. The Taliban leader Mullah Omar reorganized the movement, and in 2003, launched a rebellion against the government and the ISAF. 2003-2005_Taliban_resurgence, _war_with_Afghan_forces "> 2003-2005 Awakening of the Taliban, war with Afghan troops
Early 2003 pamphlets appeared in towns and villages, by the Taliban and other groups, urging Muslims to rise up against US troops and other foreign troops in holy war.
On January 27, 2003, during Operation Mongoose, a group of fighters was attacked by US forces in the Adi Ghar cave complex, 25 km (15 miles) north of Spin Boldak. 18 insurgents were reportedly killed without any casualties in the United States. The site is thought to be a supply base and fighters coming from Pakistan. The first attacks by relatively large Taliban groups on Afghan targets also emerged around that time.
In May 2003, Chief Justice of the Supreme Taliban, Abdul Salam, proclaimed that the Taliban returned, reunited, re-armed, ready for guerrilla warfare to drive US troops out of Afghanistan. Omar assigned five operating zones to Taliban commanders such as Dadullah, who took over in Zabul province.
Smaller training camps were set up along the border to train recruits in guerrilla warfare, said the senior Taliban militant Mullah Malang in June 2003. Most were taken from tribal madrassas in Pakistan. Bases, some with some 200 fighters, appeared in tribal areas in the summer of 2003. Pakistan's desire to prevent infiltration is uncertain, while Pakistani military operations proved to be of little use.
As the summer of 2003 continued, Taliban attacks gradually increased in frequency. Dozens of Afghan government troops, NGO humanitarian workers, and several US soldiers were killed in attacks, ambushes and rocket attacks. In addition to guerrilla attacks, Taliban fighters began to build troops in the Dai Chopan district of Zabul Province. The Taliban decided to stand there. During the summer, up to 1,000 militants moved there. More than 220 people, including several dozen Afghan policemen, were killed in August 2003.
On August 11, 2003, NATO took control of ISAF.
By the end of 2004, the Taliban leader who was then hiding Mohammed Omar announced a rebellion against "America and its puppets" (referring to troops of the Afghan transition government) to "recapture our country's sovereignty".
In late August 2005, Afghan government forces were attacked, backed by US forces with air support. After a week's fighting, Taliban forces were attacked to 124 fighters dead.
On July 31, 2006, ISAF took command of the south of the country, and on 5 October 2006, from the east. After this transition took place, ISAF grew into a large coalition involving up to 46 countries, under the commander of the U.S.
2006: War between NATO and Taliban forces
From January 2006, a multinational ISAF contingent began to replace US troops in southern Afghanistan. The British Air Force Brigade (later reinforced by the Royal Marines) forms the core of the troops, along with troops and helicopters from Australia, Canada and the Netherlands. The initial troops comprised about 3,300 British troops, 2,300 Canadian troops, 1,963 Dutchmen, 300 Australians, 290 Danish soldiers and 150 Estonians. Air support is provided by US, British, Dutch, Norwegian and French aircraft and helicopters.
In January 2006, NATO's focus in southern Afghanistan was to establish a British-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand while the Netherlands and Canada would lead the same placement in Or? Zg? N and Kandahar, respectively. Local Taliban figures promise to refuse.
The NATO operation in southern Afghanistan in 2006 was led by British, Canadian and Dutch commanders. Operation Mountain Thrust was launched on May 17, 2006.
On May 29, 2006, while according to the Afghan Spokesman-Review website Afghanistan faced an "increasing threat from rural Taliban fighters", a US military truck that was part of a convoy in Kabul lost control and crashing into twelve civilian vehicles, killing one person and wounding six. The crowd around him became angry and riots appeared, lasting all day ending with 20 dead and 160 injured. When rock-throwing and gunfire came from a crowd of about 400 people, US troops have used their weapons "to defend themselves" when leaving the scene, a US military spokesman said. Correspondent for the Financial Times in Kabul suggested that this was the outbreak of a "wave of angry swells" and "increased hostility towards strangers" that had grown and developed since 2004, and possibly also triggered by US air strikes. A week earlier in southern Afghanistan killed 30 civilians, where he assumed that "the Taliban have taken shelter in civilian homes".
In July, the Canadian Forces, backed by US, British, Dutch and Danish troops, launched Operation Medusa.
The combined power of the Dutch and Australia launched a successful attack between late April and mid July 2006 to push the Taliban out of the Chora and Baluchi regions.
On 18 September 2006 the special forces of the Italian 45 Task Force and the "Trieste" infantry regiment air forces of the Rapid Reaction Corps made up of Italian and Spanish troops took part in the Wyconda Pincer operation in the Bala Buluk and Pusht-i-Rod districts of the Province Farah. Italian troops killed at least 70 Taliban. The situation in RC-W then worsened. Hotspots include Badghis at the north end and Farah in the southwest.
Further NATO operations include the Panjwaii Battle, Operation Mountain Fury and Operation Falcon Summit. NATO achieved tactical victory and regional resistance, but the Taliban did not completely lose. NATO operations continued until 2007.
2007: US build-up, ISAF war against the Taliban
In January and February 2007, the Royal Marines drove Operation Volcano to clear the guerrillas from the hotspots of Barikju village, north of Kajaki. Other major operations during this period included Operation Achilles (March-May) and Operation Lastay Kulang. The Ministry of Defense announced its intention to bring British troops in the country up to 7,700 (committed to 2009). Further operations, such as Operation Silver and Silicon Operations, take place to keep pressure on the Taliban in hopes of blunting the expected spring attacks.
In February 2007, the Combined Command-Afghanistan Command was weakened. The Joint Task Force 76, a two-star US command headquartered at Bagram Airfield, takes on responsibility as a National Command Element for US forces in Afghanistan. The Combined-Afghan Security Transition Command, or CSTC-A, another two-star US commando, was charged with training and assisting Afghan National Security Forces.
On March 4, 2007, US Marines killed at least 12 civilians and injured 33 people in the Shinwar district of Nangrahar in response to a bomb attack. This event is known as the "Shinwar massacre". 120 members of the Marine unit in charge of the attack were ordered to leave the country by Army Major General Frank Kearney, as the incident damaged the unit's relationship with the local Afghan population.
Then in March 2007, the US during the Bush Administration deployed more than 3,500 troops to Afghanistan to expand the war against the Taliban.
On May 12, 2007, the ISAF forces killed Mullah Dadullah. Eleven other Taliban fighters were killed in the same shootout.
During the summer, NATO troops achieved tactical victories at the Battle of Chora in Or? Zg? N, where ISAF troops and Australian troops are deployed.
On August 16, eight civilians including a pregnant woman and a baby died when, hours after the IED guerrilla attack destroyed a Polish armored vehicle, Polish soldiers fired on Nangar Khel village, Paktika Province. Seven soldiers were charged with war crimes, after local residents declared Polish units firing mortars and machine guns at weddings without provocation, but they were released from all allegations in 2011.
On October 28, about 80 Taliban fighters were killed in a 24-hour battle in Helmand.
Western officials and analysts estimate the strength of Taliban forces in about 10,000 fighters crashing at a certain time. Of that number, only 2,000 to 3,000 are highly motivated, full-time rebels. The remainder are volunteer units, comprised of young Afghan people, who are angered by the deaths of Afghan civilians in military air raids and the detention of American Muslim detainees who have been held for years without charge. In 2007, more foreign fighters came to Afghanistan than before, according to officials. About 100 to 300 full-time warriors are foreigners, many from Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Chechnya, various Arab countries and maybe even Turkey and western China. They are reported to be more vicious, out of control and extreme, often carrying superior video production skills or bombs.
On November 2 the security forces killed a top-level militant, Mawlawi Abdul Manan, after he was caught crossing the border. The Taliban confirmed his death. On 10 November, the Taliban ambushed a patrol in eastern Afghanistan. This attack brought the US death toll for 2007 to 100, making it the deadliest year in Afghanistan.
The Battle of Musa Qala took place in December. The Afghan unit is the main combat force, supported by British troops. The Taliban forces were forced out of town.
Reassessment and new commitment 2008
Admiral Mike Mullen, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that while the situation in Afghanistan is "urgent and urgent", the additional 10,000 troops needed there will not be available "in a significant way" unless the withdrawal from Iraq is done. The priority is the first Iraq, the second Afghanistan.
In the first five months of 2008, the number of US troops in Afghanistan increased by more than 80% with a surge of 21,643 more troops, bringing the total from 26,607 in January to 48,250 in June. In September 2008, President Bush announced the withdrawal of more than 8,000 from Iraq and a further increase of up to 4,500 in Afghanistan.
In June 2008, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the number of British troops serving in Afghanistan would increase to 8,030 - a rise of 230. That same month, England lost its 100th serve.
On June 13, Taliban fighters demonstrated their continued strength, freeing all prisoners in Kandahar prison. The operation liberated 1200 prisoners, 400 of whom were Taliban, causing great shame for NATO.
On July 13, 2008, a coordinated Taliban offensive was launched at a remote NATO base in Wanat in Kunar province. On August 19, French troops suffered the worst loss in Afghanistan in an attack with 10 soldiers killed in action and 21 people wounded. Later that month, air strikes targeted a Taliban commander in Herat province and killed 90 civilians.
The end of August saw one of NATO's biggest operations in Helmand, Operation Eagle's Summit, which aims to bring electricity to the region.
On September 3, commandos, believed to be US Army Special Forces, landed by helicopter and attacked three houses close to Pakistan's most famous enemy base. The attack killed between seven and twenty people. Locals claim that most of the dead are civilians. Pakistan condemned the attack, calling the attack "a grave breach of Pakistani territory".
On 6 September, in a real reaction, Pakistan announced unlimited supply cuts.
On September 11, militants killed two US troops in the east. This caused the total amount of US losses to be 113, more than the previous year. Some European countries set their own records, especially the British, who suffered 108 casualties.
Taliban attack on supply line 2008
In November and December 2008, several major thefts, robberies, and arson incidents struck the NATO supply convoy in Pakistan. Transport companies south of Kabul extorted money by the Taliban. These incidents include the hijacking of NATO convoys carrying supplies in Peshawar, the cargo and Humvee cargo trucks in eastern Khyber passing and half a dozen attacks on a NATO supply depot near Peshawar that destroyed 300 cargo trucks and Humvees in December 2008.
US actions to Pakistan 2008-2009
An unnamed Pentagon senior official told the BBC that at a point between July 12 and September 12, 2008, President Bush issued a secret order authorizing an attack on militants in Pakistan. Pakistan says it will not allow foreign troops into its territory and will safely protect its sovereignty. In September, the Pakistani military declared that it had issued an order to "open fire" against US troops crossing the border to chase militant forces.
On 25 September 2008, Pakistani troops fired on ISAF helicopters. This caused confusion and anger at the Pentagon, which demanded a full explanation of the incident and denied that US helicopters were in Pakistani airspace. Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said that the helicopters had "crossed into our territory in Ghulam Khan area, they passed our checkpoint so our troops fired warning shots". A few days later an unmanned CIA plane crashed into Pakistan.
Further divisions occurred when US troops appeared to have landed on Pakistani soil to conduct operations against militants in the Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Province. The Pakistanis react angrily to the action, saying that 20 innocent villagers have been killed by US forces. However, despite the tension, the US is increasing the use of long-range drone aircraft in Pakistan's border region, particularly the Federal-ruled Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochistan; in early 2009, drone strikes rose 183% since 2006.
At the end of 2008, the Taliban appeared to have severed the remaining ties with al-Qaeda. According to a senior US military intelligence official, perhaps less than 100 al-Qaeda members remain in Afghanistan.
In a meeting with General Stanley McChrystal, Pakistani military officials urged international troops to stay on the Afghan side of the border and prevent militants from fleeing to Pakistan. Pakistan noted that it has placed 140,000 troops on its border side to deal with militant activities, while the coalition has only 100,000 troops to guard the Afghan side.
US reinforcements 2009, Taliban progress
North Distribution Network
In response to the increased risk of shipping supplies through Pakistan, work began on the establishment of the North Distribution Network (NDN) through Russia and Central Asia republic. The initial permit to move supplies through the territory was granted on January 20, 2009, after a visit to the region by General David Petraeus. The first shipment along the remaining NDN route on Feb. 20 from Riga, Latvia, then travel 5,169 km (3,212 mi) to Uzbekistan city in Uzbekistan on the Afghan border. In addition to Riga, other European ports include Poti, Georgia, and Vladivostok, Russia. The US commander hopes that 100 containers a day will be shipped with the NDN. In comparison, 140 containers a day are usually shipped via the Khyber Pass. In 2011, NDN handled about 40% of the traffic in Afghanistan, compared to 30% through Pakistan.
On May 11, 2009, Uzbek president Islam Karimov announced that the airport in Navoi (Uzbekistan) was used to transport non-lethal cargo to Afghanistan. Due to the unresolved relationship between Uzbekistan and the US after the 2005 Andijon massacre and the subsequent expulsion of US troops from Karshi-Khanabad air base, US forces were not involved in the delivery. In contrast, Korean Air South Korea, which overhauls Navoi airport, officially handles the logistics.
Initially only non-lethal resources are allowed on NDN. However, in July 2009, shortly before President Barack Obama's visit to Moscow, Russian authorities announced that US troops and weapons could use the country's airspace to reach Afghanistan.
Human rights defenders (in 2009) fear that the US is returning to work with the Uzbek government, which is often accused of violating human rights. US officials promised to increase cooperation with Uzbekistan, including further assistance to turn Navoi into a regional distribution center for both military and civilian businesses.
2009 enhancement in US forces
In January 2009, about 3,000 US troops from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team from the 10th Mountain Division moved to Logar, Wardak and Kunar provinces. The Afghan Federal Guard fought with them. The troops are the first wave of the expected relief wave once again ordered by President Bush and enhanced by President Obama.
In mid-February 2009, it was announced that 17,000 additional troops would be deployed in two brigades and support troops; 2 Marine Expeditionary Brigades around 3,500 and 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade with about 4,000. ISAF commander General David McKiernan has summoned as many as 30,000 additional troops, effectively doubling the number of troops. On September 23, the secret appraisal by General McChrystal included the conclusion that a successful counter-insurgency strategy would require 500,000 troops and five years.
In November 2009, Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry sent two secret cables to Washington expressing concerns about sending more troops before the Afghan government indicated that they were willing to deal with corruption and mismanagement that had triggered the Taliban rise. Eikenberry, a retired three-star general who in 2006-2007 ordered US troops in Afghanistan, also expressed frustration with the lack of funds set aside for development and reconstruction. In subsequent cables, Eikenberry repeatedly warned that deploying a sizeable American force would produce "astronomical costs" - tens of billions of dollars - and would only deepen the Afghan government's dependence on the United States.
On 26 November 2009, Karzai made a public request for direct negotiations with the Taliban leadership. Karzai said there was an "urgent need" for negotiations and insisted that the Obama administration had opposed such talks. No formal US response.
On December 1, Obama announced at the US Military Academy at West Point that the United States would send 30,000 more troops. Anti-war organizations in the US responded quickly, and cities across the United States watched the rally on December 2. Many protesters compared the decision to deploy more troops in Afghanistan to an extension of the Vietnam War under Johnson rule.
Kunduz airstrikes
On September 4, during Kunduz Province's devastating NATO air campaigns 7 kilometers southwest of Kunduz where Taliban fighters have hijacked civilian supply trucks, killing up to 179 people, including over 100 civilians.
Khanjar Operation and Panther's Claw Operation
On June 25, US officials announced the launch of Operation Khanjar ("sword attack"). About 4000 US Marines from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigades and 650 Afghan troops participated. Khanjar followed a British-led operation called Operation Panther's Claw in the same region. Officials call it the largest marine operation since the 2004 invasion of Fallujah, Iraq. Panther's Claw operation aims to secure a variety of river channels and crossings to establish a long-term ISAF presence.
Initially, Afghan and American troops moved into towns and villages along the Helmand River to protect the civilian population. Its main purpose is to push into the stronghold along the river. The second objective is to bring security to Helmand Valley in time for the presidential election, which is scheduled to take place on 20 August.
Taliban Advantages
According to a Dec. 22 briefing by Major General Michael T. Flynn, the top US intelligence officer in Afghanistan, "the Taliban maintain the necessary partnerships to sustain support, strengthen legitimacy and increase capacity." The 23-page briefing stated that "Security incidents are projected to be higher in 2010." The incident has risen 300 percent since 2007 and 60 percent since 2008, according to the briefing. NATO intelligence at the time indicated that the Taliban had as many as 25,000 dedicated troops, almost the same as before 9/11 and over in 2005.
On August 10, McChrystal, newly appointed US commander in Afghanistan, said the Taliban had gained support. In the continuation of the usual Taliban summer attack strategy, militants aggressively spread their influence north and west of Afghanistan and stepped up their attacks in an attempt to disrupt the presidential election. Calling the Taliban "a very aggressive enemy," he added that the US strategy is to stop their momentum and focus on protecting and keeping Afghan civilians, calling it "hard work".
The Taliban claim that more than 135 violent incidents that disrupt elections are largely debated. However, the media were asked not to report any violent incidents. Some estimates that voters reported turned out to be less than expected 70 percent. In southern Afghanistan where the Taliban holds the most power, low voter turnout and sporadic violence are aimed at voters and security personnel. EU election observer chief General Philippe Morillon said the election was "generally fair" but "not free".
Western election observers have difficulty accessing the south, where at least 9 Afghan civilians and 14 security forces have been killed in attacks aimed at intimidating voters. The Taliban released the video a few days after the election, filming on the road between Kabul and Kandahar, stopping the vehicle and asking to see their fingers. The video shows ten people who have voted, listening to a Taliban militant. The Taliban forgave voters because of Ramadan. The Taliban attacked cities with rockets and other indirect fire. Amid widespread claims of fraud, the top two rivals, Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, claim victory. Reports indicate that the number of voters is lower than in the previous election.
After Karzai's allegations won 54 percent, which would prevent overflow, more than 400,000 Karzai votes should be disallowed after fraud allegations. Some countries criticized the elections as "free but unjust".
In December, an attack on the Chapman Forward Operation Base, used by the CIA to gather information and to coordinate drone attacks against Taliban leaders, killed at least six CIA officers.
2010: The American-British attack and the Afghan peace initiative
In a public statement, US officials previously praised Pakistan's military efforts against militants during its offensive in South Waziristan in November 2009. Karzai started peace talks with the Haqqani network group in March 2010, and other peace initiatives including the Afghan Peace Jirga 2010. In July 2010 , the US Army report reads: "It always seems like this when we go there [to meet civilians].No one wants to have anything to do with us." A report about a meeting with school representatives mentions students throwing stones at soldiers and not welcoming their arrival, as has been reported on several occasions elsewhere. President Zardari said that Pakistan had spent more than $ 35 billion over the previous eight years against militancy. According to the Afghan government, about 900 Taliban were killed in operations carried out during 2010. Due to increased use of IED by insurgents, the number of wounded coalition troops, especially Americans, increased significantly. Beginning in May 2010 NATO's special forces began to concentrate on operations to capture or kill certain Taliban leaders. In March 2011, the US military claimed that the effort had resulted in the capture or murder of more than 900 low-level Taliban commanders. Overall, 2010 sees the biggest attack each year since the war began, peaking in September at over 1,500. Guerrilla operations have increased "dramatically" in two-thirds of Afghanistan's provinces.
Army spike
The deployment of additional US troops continued in early 2010, with 9,000 out of 30,000 planned on-premises before the end of March and another 18,000 expected in June, with the 101st Airborne Division as the main source and the Sea Expeditionary Force in Helmand Province. US troops in Afghanistan lost in Iraq for the first time since 2003.
The CIA, following General McChrystal's request, plans to improve its operations team, including elite SAD officers, with special US military operations forces. This combination works well in Iraq and is largely credited with the success of the surge. The CIA also increased its campaign using the Hellfire missile attacks on Al-Qaeda in Pakistan. The number of strikes in 2010, 115, more than doubled the 50 drone strikes that occurred in 2009.
The surge in troops supported a six-fold increase in Special Forces operations. 700 air strikes occurred in September 2010 alone versus 257 in all 2009. From July 2010 to October 2010, 300 Taliban commanders and 800-foot-soldiers were killed. Hundreds of rebel leaders have been killed or captured by the end of 2010. Petraeus said, "We have teeth on the enemy's neck now, and we will not let go of them."
The CIA created Counter-terrorism Pursuit Teams (CTPT) run by Afghans at the start of the war. This power grew by more than 3,000 in 2010 and is considered one of the "best Afghan combat troops". Firebase Lilley is one of the SAD nerve centers. These units are not only effective in operations against the Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan, but have expanded their operations into Pakistan. They are also an important factor both in "counterterrorism plus" and the "counter-insurgency" option discussed by the Obama administration in the December 2010 review.
Marjah War
In early February, Coalition and Afghan forces initiated highly visible plans for the attack, named Operation Moshtarak, at the Taliban base near the village of Marjah. It started on February 13 and, according to US and Afghan officials, was the first operation in which Afghan forces led the coalition. Led by the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (US), the attack involved 15,000 US, British, Canadian, Estonian, Danish, French and Afghan troops. It is the largest joint operation since the 2001 invasion that toppled the Taliban. Fighting troops in an area of ​​less than 100 square miles (260 km 2 ), with a population of 80,000.
WikiLeaks disclosure
On July 25, 2010, the release of 91,731 secret documents from the WikiLeaks organization was published. These documents include military incidents and US intelligence reports from January 2004 to December 2009. Some of these documents include cleaning up, and "cover-up", reports of civilian casualties caused by Coalition Forces. Reports include numerous references to other incidents involving civilian casualties such as Kunduz airstrikes and Nangar Khel incident. The leaked documents also contain reports of Pakistani collusion with the Taliban. According to Der Spiegel , these documents clearly show that the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (usually known as ISI) intelligence service is the most important leg of the Taliban outside Afghanistan. "
Pakistan and US tension
Tensions between Pakistan and the United States increased at the end of September after several Pakistan Border Korp soldiers were killed and wounded. Troops were attacked by US-driven aircraft chasing Taliban forces near the Afghan-Pakistan border, but for unknown reasons fired on two Pakistan border posts. In retaliation for the strike, Pakistan closed down the Torkham land border crossing into a NATO supply convoy for an unspecified period. The incident follows the release of a video allegedly showing uniformed Pakistani soldiers executing unarmed civilians. After the closure of the Torkham border, the Pakistani Taliban attacked the NATO convoy, killing several drivers and destroying about 100 tankers.
2011: US and NATO withdrawals
Battle of Kandahar
The Battle of Kandahar is part of an attack named after the Battle of Badr that occurred on March 13, 624, between Medina and Mecca. The battle follows the April 30 announcement that the Taliban will launch their Spring attacks.
On May 7, the Taliban launched a massive offensive against government buildings in Kandahar. The Taliban say their goal is to take control of the city. At least eight locations were attacked: the gubernatorial complex, the mayor's office, the NDS headquarters, three police stations and two secondary schools. The battle continued into the second day. The BBC's Bilal Sarwary calls it "the worst attack in Kandahar province since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001, and embarrassing for the Western-backed Afghan government."
Death of Osama bin Laden
On May 2, US officials announced that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had been killed in Operation Neptunus Spear, conducted by the US Navy SEAL, in Pakistan.
Withdrawal
On June 22, President Obama announced that 10,000 troops would be withdrawn by the end of 2011 and an additional 23,000 troops would return in the summer of 2012. After the withdrawal of 10,000 US troops, only 80,000 remained. In July 2011, Canada withdrew its combat troops, shifting to a training role.
Following the lawsuit, another NATO country announced a reduction of troops. The United Kingdom declared that it would withdraw its troops gradually, but did not mention numbers or dates. France announced it will withdraw about 1,000 troops by the end of 2012, with 3,000 troops remaining. Hundreds of people will return by the end of 2011 and in early 2012, when the Afghan National Army controls Surobi district. The remaining troops will continue to operate in Kapisa. Their total withdrawals are expected by the end of 2014 or previously provided with adequate security.
Belgium announced that half of its troops will withdraw from January 2012. Norway announced it has started withdrawing nearly 500 troops and will be exhausted by 2014. Similarly, the Prime Minister of Spain announced the withdrawal of troops which began in 2012, including up to 40 percent by the end of the first half 2013, and complete withdrawal in 2014.
US-NATO Attack 2011 in Pakistan
After Neptune Spear, ISAF troops accidentally attacked Pakistani armed forces on November 26, killing 24 Pakistani troops. Pakistan blocked the NATO supply line and ordered the Americans to leave Shamsi Airfield. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the attacks were 'tragic' and 'unintentional'. "This (regret) is not good enough We strongly condemn the attacks and are entitled to take action," said DG ISPR Major General Athar Abbas. "This can have a serious impact on the level and level of our cooperation.
2012: Strategic deal
Taliban attacks continue at the same rate as it did in 2011, approximately 28,000 attacks. In September 2012, the surge in US personnel that began at the end of 2009 ended.
Reform of the United Front (Northern Alliance)
By the end of 2011 the Afghan National Front (NFA) was created by Ahmad Zia Massoud, Abdul Rashid Dostum and Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq in what many analysts describe as a reform of the Northern Alliance's military wing to oppose the return of the Taliban in power. Meanwhile, many of the political wing reunited under the Afghan National Coalition led by Abdullah Abdullah became the main democratic opposition movement in the Afghan parliament. Former intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh has created a new movement, Basej-i Milli (Afghan Green Trend), with support among youths mobilizing about 10,000 people in an anti-Taliban rally in Kabul in May 2011.
In January 2012, the Afghan National Front raised concerns about possible secret deals between the US, Pakistan and the Taliban during a widely publicized meeting in Berlin. US Congresswoman Louie Gohmert wrote, "Leaders who are struggling with Embedded Special Forces to initially defeat the Taliban represent more than 60 percent of Afghans, but are completely ignored by the Obama Administration and Karzai in negotiations." After a meeting with members of the US congress in Berlin, the National Front signed a joint declaration stating among other things:
We firmly believe that any negotiations with the Taliban are only acceptable, and therefore effective, if all parties to the conflict are involved in the process. The current form of discussion with the Taliban is flawed, as it does not include Afghans anti-Taliban. It should be remembered that the extremists of the Taliban and their Al Qaeda supporters were defeated by Afghans who opposed extremism with minimal human support implanted from the United States and the international community. The current negotiations with the Taliban fail to take into account the risks, sacrifices and legitimate interests of the Afghans who ended the brutal repression of all Afghans.
High-profile US military incident
Beginning in January 2012, incidents involving US troops occurred as described by the Sydney Morning Herald as "a series of devastating incidents and revelations involving US forces in Afghanistan [...]". The incident created a fracture in the partnership between Afghanistan and the ISAF, raising the question of whether discipline within US forces undermines, undermining "the image of foreign forces in a country where there has been deep disappointment because of civilian deaths and perceptions among many Afghans. respect for culture and Afghans "and suppress relations between Afghanistan and the United States. In addition to incidents involving US troops posing with deadly guerrilla body parts and videos that appeared to show a US helicopter crew singing "Bye-bye Miss American Pie" before blowing up a group of Afghans with Hellfire missiles is "high profile US military incidents in Afghanistan "also includes the Koran burning protests in Afghanistan in 2012 and the shooting of Panjwai.
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