25 Years After US Invasion, Washington Grapples With Taliban Rule in Afghanistan

The invasion began on October 7, 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks carried out by Al Qaeda. The United States launched military operations against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan because the group had provided sanctuary to Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, who was held responsible for orchestrating the attacks.

What followed became the longest war in US history, lasting more than two decades. Successive American administrations invested enormous military, political and economic resources in Afghanistan, while international donors supported infrastructure, healthcare, education and the development of government institutions.

During this period, Afghan girls gained access to schools, universities expanded and private media outlets flourished. Kabul underwent significant urban development, with new commercial centres, office buildings and modern infrastructure transforming parts of the capital.

However, the Taliban regrouped and gradually strengthened its presence, particularly in rural areas. As the conflict continued, Washington increasingly pursued a negotiated withdrawal.

The process culminated in the Doha Agreement, signed on February 29, 2020, during Donald Trump’s first presidential administration. The deal committed the United States to withdrawing foreign forces in exchange for Taliban counterterrorism assurances and commitments related to intra-Afghan negotiations. The Afghan government was not a direct signatory to the agreement.

US troop levels subsequently declined, and the Taliban continued to gain ground. President Joe Biden oversaw the final withdrawal in 2021, as Taliban fighters rapidly captured provincial capitals before entering Kabul on August 15, effectively ending the Western-backed government’s rule.

The withdrawal left behind substantial quantities of military equipment. Reports citing Pentagon assessments have put the value of the equipment at approximately $7 billion, including aircraft, vehicles and weapons that subsequently came under Taliban control. The group has displayed some of the equipment during military parades and reportedly uses certain assets for security operations.

Despite refusing to formally recognise the Taliban administration, Washington has continued engaging with Kabul on specific issues, including the release of American detainees. Following the release of US academic Dennis Coyle earlier this year, reports quoted American officials as saying efforts were continuing to secure the return of at least two other Americans.

The military equipment remains another point of contention. Afghan media reported last month that Kabul considers the equipment left behind by US forces to be the property of the Afghan government and does not intend to negotiate its return.

Afghanistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qahar Balkhi reportedly argued that the United States had killed many Afghans and destroyed large parts of the country during the war, and should bear the consequences of its actions.

Russia has formally recognised the Taliban administration, while other countries maintain varying levels of engagement with Afghanistan, driven by security concerns, diplomatic interests and humanitarian considerations.

A quarter-century after the invasion began, the central contradiction in US policy remains: Washington continues to deal with the Taliban on practical matters even as it withholds formal recognition of the government it now confronts diplomatically.