Twenty-five years have passed since the US-led military operation in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, less than a month after the September 11 attacks. The operation was launched against al-Qaeda and the Taliban and continued for nearly 20 years.
According to the US Department of Defense, 2,461 US service members were killed and more than 20,000 were wounded during the war in Afghanistan. According to data from the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), at least 66,000 Afghan security forces were also killed during the conflict.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recorded 40,696 civilian deaths and 77,747 injuries caused by the conflict between December 2008 and August 2021.
There is no accurate official figure for the total number of Taliban members and other armed opposition fighters who were killed or wounded throughout the entire war.
During the 20-year presence of the United States and the international community, development was made in Afghanistan in areas including healthcare, education, media, and government institutions, alongside the security forces. However, the prolonged war also caused extensive loss of life, displacement, and economic and psychological harm.
In August 2021, following the withdrawal of international forces, the former Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban returned to power. Five years have now passed since the Taliban’s return to power.
