20 years.. & back to where we started
September 2001
Al-Qaeda launches the attack on the World Trade Center in New York. President George W Bush declares a “war on terror”.
October 2001
The United States military, with British support, begins a bombing campaign
against the Taliban.
December 2001
The Taliban regime collapses across Afghanistan and the al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden manages to escape to Pakistan.
May 2003
US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld declares an end to “major combat ” in the country.
August 2003
NATO commanders assume control of international
security forces in Afghanistan. January 2004
Suicide bomb attacks start against international forces and Private Jonathan Kitulagoda, 23, becomes the first British casualty.
2006
British forces are redeployed to Camp
Bastion, near Lashkar Gah in Helmand. Most of the 457 British personnel killed in Afghanistan died in Helmand.
May 2011
Osama bin Laden is killed by US special forces in Pakistan.
October 2014
Britain withdraws combat troops from
Helmand and hands over Camp Bastion to the Afghan Army.
February 2020
The US and the Taliban sign an “agreement for bringing peace” in Doha.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urges the group to
“keep your promises to cut ties with al-Qaeda”.
April 2021
US President Joe Biden announces all his country’s troops will leave Afghanistan by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the attack on
the World Trade Center. With President Biden declaring: “it’s time to end this forever war.”
July 2021
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirms most British troops have left Afghanistan, following the decision by the US to withdraw its soldiers.