War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

E5556

armed conflict international military intervention war

The War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) was a protracted conflict initiated by a U.S.-led invasion to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power, evolving into a long-term counterinsurgency and nation-building effort that ended with the Taliban’s return to control.

Aliases (28)

War in Afghanistan ×170
Afghanistan War ×5
Afghanistan War (2001–2021) ×5
Afghanistan War (post-2001) ×5
War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) ×3
Operation Enduring Freedom ×2
United States invasion of Afghanistan ×2
2021 Taliban offensive ×1
Afghan War (2001–2021) ×1
Afghanistan 2001–2014 ×1
Afghanistan War (2001– ) ×1
Afghanistan theater of operations ×1
Afghanistan war ×1
Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan ×1
U.S. invasion of Afghanistan ×1
U.S. war in Afghanistan ×1
U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan ×1
U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan ×1
U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan (2001) ×1
United Kingdom military operations in Afghanistan ×1
United States-led invasion of Afghanistan (2001) ×1
War in Afghanistan (1978–present) ×1
War in Afghanistan (2001– ) ×1
War in Afghanistan (2001–present) ×1
War in Afghanistan (Operation Herrick) ×1
War in Afghanistan (post-2001) ×1
War in Afghanistan (through 11th Marine Regiment) ×1
war in Afghanistan (2001–2021) ×1

Statements (78)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	armed conflict → international military intervention → war →
AfghanPresidentsDuringConflict	Ashraf Ghani → Hamid Karzai →
AfghanSecurityForcesKilled	tens of thousands →
aftermath	establishment of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban government) → humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan → withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan →
alsoKnownAs	Afghan War (2001–2021) → U.S. war in Afghanistan →
belligerent	Afghan National Army → Afghan National Police → Australia → Canada → France → Germany → Haqqani network → International Security Assistance Force → Islamic Republic of Afghanistan → Islamic State – Khorasan Province → Italy → NATO → Netherlands → Northern Alliance → Poland → Taliban → Turkey → United Kingdom → United States → al-Qaeda →
cause	September 11 attacks →
characterizedBy	civilian casualties → counterinsurgency operations → insurgency → nation-building efforts → terrorism → use of drones →
civilianDeathsEstimate	over 40,000 →
country	Afghanistan →
displacedPersons	millions of Afghans →
endDate	2021-08-30 →
goal	dismantle al-Qaeda → nation-building in Afghanistan → prevent Afghanistan from being a terrorist safe haven → remove Taliban from power → support Afghan government →
initiatedBy	United States →
legalBasis	UN Security Council Resolution 1368 → UN Security Council Resolution 1373 →
location	Afghanistan →
majorEvent	2001 fall of Kabul → 2004 Afghan presidential election → 2009 Afghan presidential election → 2021 Kabul airport evacuation → 2021 Taliban offensive → Battle of Tora Bora → Doha Agreement (2020) → Fall of Kabul (2021) → killing of Osama bin Laden → surge of U.S. forces in 2009–2011 →
NATOcasualtiesMilitaryKilled	over 1,100 (non-U.S.) →
operation	International Security Assistance Force → Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan → Operation Freedom’s Sentinel → Resolute Support Mission →
partOf	Global War on Terrorism →
result	Taliban victory → collapse of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan → return of Taliban to power in Afghanistan →
startDate	2001-10-07 →
supportedBy	United Nations →
UScasualtiesMilitaryKilled	approximately 2,400 →
UScasualtiesMilitaryWounded	over 20,000 →
USPresidentsInOfficeDuringConflict	Barack Obama → Donald Trump → George W. Bush → Joe Biden →

Referenced by (327)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
11th Marine Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → 16th Combat Aviation Brigade ("War in Afghanistan") → 1st Battalion, 1st Marines ("War in Afghanistan") → 1st Battalion, 7th Marines → 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division → 1st Canadian Division ("War in Afghanistan") → 1st Combat Engineer Battalion → 1st Division (Australia) ("War in Afghanistan") → 1st Marine Division → 1st Marine Division (United States) → 1st Ranger Battalion ("War in Afghanistan") → 1st Reconnaissance Battalion → 1st Tank Battalion → 28th Infantry Division → 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines → 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines → 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines ("War in Afghanistan") → 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines → 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division → 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing → 2nd Marine Division → 2nd Marine Tank Battalion → 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines → 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines ("War in Afghanistan") → 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines → 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division → 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing → 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division ("War in Afghanistan") → 51 Squadron RAF Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → 555th Engineer Brigade → 6th Marines → 7th Infantry Division (United States) → 7th Marine Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Abdul Rashid Dostum → Afghan National Army → Afghan National Army ("War in Afghanistan (1978–present)") → Afghan National Police → Armed Forces of Turkey → Army Air Corps ("War in Afghanistan") → Australian Army → Australian Army Aviation Corps ("War in Afghanistan") → Battle of Tora Bora → Belgian Armed Forces ("War in Afghanistan") → British Expeditionary Forces → David Petraeus → Fall of Kabul (2021) → Fort Garry Horse ("War in Afghanistan") → I Marine Expeditionary Force → Int Corps ("War in Afghanistan") → Italian Navy ("War in Afghanistan") → Jalaluddin Haqqani → John F. Kelly ("War in Afghanistan") → John W. Raymond ("War in Afghanistan") → Joint Helicopter Command ("War in Afghanistan") → Legión Española ("War in Afghanistan") → Light Dragoons ("War in Afghanistan") → Lisa M. Franchetti → Mil Mi-24 → No. 1 Group RAF ("War in Afghanistan") → No. 1 Squadron RAF ("Afghanistan War (2001–2021)") → No. 11 Squadron RAF ("War in Afghanistan") → No. 2 Group RAF ("War in Afghanistan") → No. 2 Squadron RAF ("War in Afghanistan") → No. 3 Squadron RAF ("War in Afghanistan") → No. 41 Squadron RAF ("War in Afghanistan") → Northern Alliance → Operation Enduring Freedom → Operation Herrick → Parachute Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Polish Air Force → Polish Navy → Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex ("War in Afghanistan") → Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry ("War in Afghanistan") → Queen’s Royal Hussars ("War in Afghanistan") → RAF Police ("War in Afghanistan") → RAF Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Romanian Air Force ("War in Afghanistan") → Romanian Armed Forces ("War in Afghanistan") → Romanian Land Forces ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal 22e Régiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Air Force ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Armoured Corps ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Army Medical Corps → Royal Australian Air Force ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Australian Artillery ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Australian Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Canadian Navy ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Marines ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Military Police ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Netherlands Army ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal New Zealand Air Force ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Tank Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Scots Guards → Silver Star ("War in Afghanistan") → Spanish Foreign Legion ("War in Afghanistan") → Special Air Service ("War in Afghanistan") → Special Air Service ("War in Afghanistan") → Special Boat Service → The Old Breed ("War in Afghanistan") → Tommy Franks ("War in Afghanistan (2001–present)") → U.S. 101st Airborne Division → United States 2nd Infantry Division ("War in Afghanistan") → United States Seventh Fleet ("War in Afghanistan") → V Corps (United States) ("War in Afghanistan") → Warrior infantry fighting vehicle ("War in Afghanistan") → Welsh Guards ("War in Afghanistan") →	conflict
.50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun → ACUPAT ("War in Afghanistan") → AGM-114 Hellfire → AV-8B Harrier II ("Afghanistan War") → Army Combat Uniform ("War in Afghanistan") → B-1B Lancer ("War in Afghanistan") → BLU-109 ("Afghanistan War") → Bell UH-1 Iroquois → Boeing AH-64 Apache → Boeing B-52 Stratofortress ("War in Afghanistan") → Brimstone ("War in Afghanistan") → Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle ("War in Afghanistan") → CF-18 Hornet ("War in Afghanistan") → Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard ("War in Afghanistan") → F-16 Fighting Falcon → F/A-18 Hornet → F88 Austeyr ("War in Afghanistan") → FAMAS assault rifle ("War in Afghanistan") → Humvee → Interceptor Body Armor ("War in Afghanistan") → L86 LSW → Leopard 1 ("War in Afghanistan") → Lieutenant (Australian Army) ("Afghanistan War (2001–2021)") → Light Armored Vehicle-25 ("War in Afghanistan") → M1 Abrams ("War in Afghanistan") → M1025 → M1026 ("War in Afghanistan") → M1151 ("War in Afghanistan") → M198 howitzer → M998 → Marine expeditionary force ("War in Afghanistan") → Mk 84 bomb → Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment ("War in Afghanistan") → Panavia Tornado ("War in Afghanistan") → Panavia Tornado GR4 ("War in Afghanistan") → Paveway series guided bombs ("Afghanistan War (post-2001)") → RAF Tristar ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Navy ratings → SA80 assault rifle ("War in Afghanistan") → Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle ("War in Afghanistan") → Tomahawk cruise missile ("War in Afghanistan") → Universal Camouflage Pattern ("War in Afghanistan") → VBCI ("War in Afghanistan") →	usedInConflict
17th Field Artillery Brigade → 1st Commando Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → 2nd Commando Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → 2nd Marine Logistics Group → Australian Defence Force ("War in Afghanistan") → Canadian Special Operations Forces Command ("War in Afghanistan") → Commando Helicopter Force ("War in Afghanistan") → Household Cavalry → Irish Guards ("War in Afghanistan") → King’s Royal Hussars → MARSOC Raiders ("War in Afghanistan") → Marine Raider Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Navy SEALs ("War in Afghanistan") → Regina Rifle Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Engineers → Royal Lancers ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Marines Commandos → Royal Regiment of Artillery ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Regiment of Artillery ("War in Afghanistan") → Special Air Service Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → Special Reconnaissance Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers →	engagement
British Army ("War in Afghanistan") → Fleet Air Arm ("Afghanistan War") → French Army ("War in Afghanistan") → Gurkha units ("Afghanistan War (2001–2021)") → Polish Army → RE → Republic of Korea Army ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Australian Navy ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Canadian Air Force ("War in Afghanistan") → Special Operations Command (Australia) ("War in Afghanistan") → United States Armed Forces ("War in Afghanistan") → United States Army ("War in Afghanistan") → United States Marine Corps ("War in Afghanistan") →	engagedIn
All American Division ("War in Afghanistan") → Armed Forces of the Netherlands → Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland → French Air Force ("War in Afghanistan") → Hungarian Defence Forces ("War in Afghanistan") → Norwegian Armed Forces ("War in Afghanistan") → Paul M. Nakasone ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Winnipeg Rifles ("War in Afghanistan") → Territorial Army ("War in Afghanistan (2001–2014)") → USAR →	participatedIn
1st CEB → Air Force Reserve ("War in Afghanistan") → British Armed Forces → Danish Army ("War in Afghanistan") → Illinois National Guard → LAV-AT ("War in Afghanistan") → Leopard 2 ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Air Force personnel → The Cannon Cockers ("War in Afghanistan (through 11th Marine Regiment)") →	conflictParticipation
2001 fall of Kabul → Fall of Kabul (2021) → International Security Assistance Force → Operation Freedom’s Sentinel → Operation Herrick → War in Afghanistan (by Polish forces) → killing of Osama bin Laden →	partOf
Fort Lewis → Gitmo ("Afghanistan War (post-2001)") → Lockheed P-3 Orion → Lockheed U-2 ("War in Afghanistan") → Nimrod MR2 ("War in Afghanistan") → Universal Camouflage Pattern ("War in Afghanistan") →	usedDuring
Royal Corps of Signals → U.S. Central Command → USASC → United States Army Signal Corps →	conflictInvolved
Lockheed C-130 Hercules → Royal Air Force units ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Australian Armoured Corps ("War in Afghanistan") → United States Navy Reserve ("War in Afghanistan") →	conflictInvolvement
1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion ("War in Afghanistan") → French Naval Aviation → Grenadier Guards → Raytheon Sentinel R1 ("War in Afghanistan") →	conflictParticipatedIn
CV90 ("Afghanistan War") → Mk 83 bomb ("Afghanistan War (post-2001)") → Nimitz-class aircraft carrier ("War in Afghanistan") → SUSAT sight ("Afghanistan War (2001–2021)") →	usedIn
Air Medal ("War in Afghanistan") → Distinguished Flying Cross ("War in Afghanistan") → Military Cross →	campaign
Australian War Memorial ("Afghanistan War") → National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific ("War in Afghanistan") → National War Memorial ("War in Afghanistan") →	commemoratesConflict
1st Marine Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → 5th Marine Regiment ("War in Afghanistan") → U.S. 82nd Airborne Division →	conflictParticipated
LAV-L ("War in Afghanistan") → LAV-M → LAV-R →	conflictUse
B-2 Spirit ("War in Afghanistan") → General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper ("War in Afghanistan") → M777 howitzer ("War in Afghanistan") →	conflictUsedIn
Rangers ("War in Afghanistan") → Royal Canadian Navy ("War in Afghanistan") → United States Navy ("War in Afghanistan") →	notableConflict
16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team → Blues and Royals → Special Forces Support Group ("War in Afghanistan") →	notableDeployment
Islamic State – Khorasan Province → Taliban →	activeInConflict
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) ("U.S. war in Afghanistan") → War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) ("Afghan War (2001–2021)") →	alsoKnownAs
Memorial Day ("War in Afghanistan") → Roll of Honour ("War in Afghanistan") →	associatedWith
Distinguished Service Cross ("War in Afghanistan") → Military William Order ("War in Afghanistan") →	awardedInConflict
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross → Silver Star Medal ("War in Afghanistan") →	campaigns
Brimstone missile ("War in Afghanistan") → High Mobility Artillery Rocket System ("War in Afghanistan") →	combatUse
CIA Special Activities Division → Coldstream Guards →	engagedInConflict
Foreign Legion ("War in Afghanistan") → The Paras ("War in Afghanistan") →	historicalConflict
Afghanistan ("U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan") → Afghanistan →	historicalEvent
GWOT → Global War on Terrorism →	includesConflict
United Arab Emirates Armed Forces ("War in Afghanistan (post-2001)") → United States National Guard ("War in Afghanistan") →	participatedInConflict
Operation Freedom’s Sentinel ("U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan") → UN Security Council Resolution 1368 ("war in Afghanistan (2001–2021)") →	relatedTo
Afghan conflicts ("U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan (2001)") → Military history of the United Kingdom →	significantEvent
Decision Points ("Afghanistan War (2001– )") → Hard Choices ("Afghanistan war") →	topic
RAF Akrotiri ("War in Afghanistan") → RAF Waddington ("War in Afghanistan") →	usedDuringConflict
Bush at War ("U.S. invasion of Afghanistan") →	aboutEvent
Royal Australian Army Medical Corps ("War in Afghanistan") →	activeIn
3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) ("War in Afghanistan") →	battleHonors
Hamid Karzai ("United States-led invasion of Afghanistan (2001)") →	cameToPowerFollowing
Bronze Star Medal ("War in Afghanistan") →	campaignOrService
Operation Herrick ("United Kingdom military operations in Afghanistan") →	codenameFor
Doha Agreement (2020) →	conflictAddressed
Army Valorous Unit Award ("War in Afghanistan") →	conflictApplicability
Combat Medical Badge ("War in Afghanistan") →	conflicts
Presidential Unit Citation (United States) ("War in Afghanistan") →	conflictUsage
Anderson Cooper ("Afghanistan War (post-2001)") →	coveredConflict
Third Balkenende cabinet ("War in Afghanistan") →	foreignPolicyContext
Hamid Karzai ("War in Afghanistan (2001–2014)") →	governedDuring
No. 617 Squadron RAF ("Afghanistan 2001–2014") →	hasBattleHonour
Royal Dragoon Guards →	hasBattleHonoursFrom
Royal Netherlands Navy ("War in Afghanistan") →	hasHistoricalConflict
Afghan conflicts →	hasPart
United States Infantry →	historicalInvolvement
Military history of the Territorial Army ("War in Afghanistan (2001–2014)") →	includesEvent
Global War on Terrorism ("Operation Enduring Freedom") →	includesOperation
Improved Outer Tactical Vest →	introducedInConflict
Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001 ("United States invasion of Afghanistan") →	legalAuthorityFor
Obama's Wars ("War in Afghanistan") →	mainSubject
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) ("2021 Taliban offensive") →	majorEvent
George W. Bush ("War in Afghanistan (2001– )") →	notableEventDuringTerm
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ("Operation Enduring Freedom") →	notableOperation
Inter-Services Intelligence →	notableOperationArea
PJHQ ("War in Afghanistan (Operation Herrick)") →	notableOperationRole
Delta Force →	notableRole
Medal of Honor ("War in Afghanistan") →	notableTheaterOfAwards
Royal Army Medical Corps →	notableTheatre
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) ("Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan") →	operation
International Security Assistance Force ("Afghanistan War (2001–2021)") →	operationalTheater
Afghan Civil War →	preceded
Fall of Kabul (2021) →	relatedEvent
Taxi to the Dark Side ("Afghanistan War (post-2001)") →	setDuring
Royal Military College, Duntroon ("War in Afghanistan") →	significantConflict
Combat Infantryman Badge ("War in Afghanistan") →	subsequentlyAwardedInConflict
U.S. 101st Airborne Division ("Afghanistan theater of operations") →	theater
September 11 attacks ("United States invasion of Afghanistan") →	triggeredEvent
U.S. Fifth Fleet ("War in Afghanistan") →	worldWarInvolvement