Afghanistan Timeline: How Taliban undid 20 years of American effort in 20 days

The Taliban has re-captured Afghanistan, forcing the US-nurtured government to surrender and its leadership, including now-former President Ashraf Ghani, to flee the country along with personnel, citizens and soldiers of numerous countries.

The lightning-quick expansion of the Taliban and the unceremonious capitulation of the Afghan government have undone 20 years of US effort, with President Joe Biden and his successor Donald Trump playing the blamegame over the shambles on the ground.

Here's a look at how America retreated and Taliban re-emerged.

September 11, 2001: WTC & Pentagon Attacks

In a series of attacks by al-Qaeda, four California-bound aircraft were hijacked mid-flight by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists. They deliberately crashed into the towers of WTC. The attacks resulted in 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and substantial long-term health consequences, in addition to at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage, in what is considered one of the deadliest terror attacks in human history.

December 2001: America invades, unseats Taliban

The US and allied forces invaded and occupied Afghanistan in 2001 following the September 11 attacks. War was resultant and the country became the US' longest military engagement. The invasion occurred under Operation Freedom Sentinel and NATO's Resolute Support Mission.

The Taliban refused repeated US' demands to extradite bin Laden and his associates and to dismantle terrorist training facilities in Afghanistan. Within weeks of the attacks, the US launched an intensive bombing campaign against the Taliban and provided significant logistical support to NATO.

2002-onwards: US & NATO-backed democratic government rules Afghanistan

Loya Jirga, which is a legal assembly, in the traditional code of laws of Afghanistan, elected Hamid Karzai as interim Head of State after Former king Zahir Shah makes no claim to the throne. In 2004, Loya Jirga adopted a new constitution and called for Presidential elections wherein Hamid Karzai was declared President. He was the President of Afghanistan until September 2014.

In 2005, Afghans voted in the first parliamentary elections in more than 30 years. A protracted guerilla war with the Taliban ensued over the next decade and more, with the government largely in control due to American support

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February 2020: US allows Taliban-Afghan government peace talks/ US and Taliban peace agreement on February 29, 2020

The US and Taliban sign an accord- Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan, including the withdrawal of all regular American and NATO troops from Afghanistan. The Taliban pledged to prevent al-Qaeda from operating in areas under Taliban control. Peace talks ensued between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

November 2020: Trump says US troops will withdraw by May 1

Peace talks between the US and the Taliban started tentatively, with the Afghan government pretty much uninvolved, and the agreement on a withdrawal came in February 2020 in Qatar. Former US President Trump agreed to a reduction of its deployed forces from 13,000 to 8,600 by July 2020 and an absolute withdrawal by May 1, 2021.

The US and the Taliban signed an agreement to withdraw troops if the terrorist organisation upheld the terms of the accord.

January 2021: Joe Biden becomes President of the US

Biden came to office on Jan 20. He announces a withdrawal deadline to September 11, marking the 20th anniversary of US' invasion of Afghanistan and the end of the war too. On July 8, Biden shifts forces' pull-out deadline to August 31. The Taliban, who had demanded that all US troops be pulled out of Afghanistan by May 1, did not offer any guarantee for the safety of departing troops. 

UNSC, in June 2021, said that despite the withdrawal and the Taliban accord, members of al-Qaeda are present in over 15 Afghan provinces and have been operative under Taliban protection in Kandahar, Helmand and Nimroz provinces.

May 2021: Taliban begins capture of Afghan territories

On May 2, Helmand province, notoriously known for poppy growing is renowned for being a stronghold of Taliban insurgents. Series of advancements apparent since May 1, No less than 30 Afghan soldiers went missing in the southeastern Ghazni city after the Taliban attacks.

226 Afghan civilians and military personnel have been killed in Taliban attacks in 24 provinces since April 2021.

US began to cede key bases to Afghan National Army like Bagram base, an hour drive from Kabul

May 3, a Suicide attack in Pul-e-Alam, capital of Afghanistan's eastern Logar province at least 21 lives, injured as many as 90 others and inflicted massive damage on civilian premises, including the hospital. 

May 11: Taliban captures Nerkg district, close to the capital, Kabul 

July 2021: Taliban makes big gains as Doha talks flounder

“Troika” met with representatives of the negotiating team of the Taliban. US, Russia, China, Pakistan met in Doha, Qatar to discuss ways to support intra-Afghan peace talks and arrive at a permanent ceasefire. However, Taliban-infused violence unprecedented and territorial gains primarily on its agenda.

July 21, Taliban is under control of half of Afghanistan's districts

Underlining the scale and speed of their advance, a US general said that the Taliban have gained control of about half of 419 districts in Afghanistan and are “putting pressure on the outskirts” of 17 of 34 provincial capitals but have not seized control of any of them yet.

July 26: US promises continued support to Afghan government

The US promised to continue to support Afghan troops “in the coming weeks” with intensified air attacks to help them counter Taliban. The US supported the Afghans deciding the fate of their country with no foreign encroachment, though matters had long spiralled out of control.

August 6: Taliban seizes Zaranj, other provinces

Zaranj in the south of the country becomes the first provincial capital to fall to the Taliban in years. The Taliban take over the capital of Nimruz province in the south,

Sheberghan, August 7:

The Taliban declare they have captured the entire northern province of Jawzjan, including its capital Sheberghan.
Heavy fighting is reported in the city, and government buildings are taken over by the Taliban. Afghan security forces say they are still fighting there.

Sar-e-Pul, August 8:

The Taliban took control of Sar-e-Pul, the capital of the eponymous northern province. It is the first of three provincial centres that fell on the same day.

Kunduz, August 8:

Taliban fighters seize control of the northern city of 270,000 people, regarded as a strategic prize as it lies at the gateway to mineral-rich northern provinces and Central Asia.

Herat, August 12:

The capital of the western province of Herat, Afghanistan’s third-largest city, falls to the Taliban after two weeks of fighting.

Kandahar, August 12:

The capital of the southern province of Kandahar is under the armed group’s control.

On August 12, Taliban insurgents violently took over the city of Ghazni

The ninth provincial capital to have been seized by then. Pursuant to territorial gains by the Taliban, the US intelligence claimed the capital city, Kabul which is 150 km to the northeast, could fall into the insurgents within 30 days.

Lashkar Gah, August 13:

The capital of Helmand province in the south is taken over by the Taliban.

Mazar-i-Sharif, August 14: 

The Taliban fighters take the major northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

Pul-e-Alam, August 14:

With little resistance, the capital of Logar province, just 70km (40 miles) south of Kabul, falls to the Taliban.

Jalalabad, August 15:

The capital of Nangarhar province is taken over by the Taliban, effectively leaving the capital, Kabul, as the last major urban area under government control.

Kabul, August 15:

Taliban fighters surround the Afghan capital as civilians prepare for the armed group’s takeover nearly 20 years after it was toppled in an American-led assault.

The offensive is noted for the rapid territorial gains of the Taliban as well as its domestic and international ramifications. 

On 15 August, the Taliban reached Kabul and awaited a "transfer" of power as President Ghani announced his resignation and his government surrendered. Ghani fled the country, while Taliban eventually entered Kabul. 

August 15: US conducts desperate evacuation 

Biden announced that a total of 5,000 US forces will now be sent to manage evacuations and the conclusion of the US operations after 20 years on the ground. The Pentagon anticipates that roughly 30,000 civilians will need to be evacuated before it can complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan by August 31, the timeframe set by Biden.