{"id":63900,"date":"2021-05-01T13:50:42","date_gmt":"2021-05-01T13:50:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/05\/01\/us-nato-forces-begin-final-phase-of-afghan-pullout\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:17:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:17:50","slug":"us-nato-forces-begin-final-phase-of-afghan-pullout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/2021\/05\/01\/us-nato-forces-begin-final-phase-of-afghan-pullout\/","title":{"rendered":"US, NATO forces begin final phase of Afghan pullout"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">KABUL, Afghanistan \u2014 The final phase of ending America\u2019s \u201cforever war\u201d in Afghanistan after 20 years formally began Saturday, with the withdrawal of the last U.S. and NATO troops by the end of summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/04\/28\/biden-says-us-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-shows-american-leadership\/\" target=_blank>President Joe Biden<\/a> had set May 1 as the official start of the withdrawal of the remaining forces \u2014 about 2,500-3,500 U.S. troops and about 7,000 NATO soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even before Saturday, the herculean task of packing up had begun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The military has been taking inventory, deciding what is shipped back to the U.S., what is handed to the Afghan security forces and what is sold as junk in Afghanistan\u2019s markets. In recent weeks, the military has been flying out equipment on massive C-17 cargo planes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. is estimated to have spent more than $2 trillion in Afghanistan in the past two decades, according to the Costs of War project at Brown University, which documents the hidden costs of the U.S. military engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/04\/29\/candid-reflections-on-afghanistan-from-those-whose-lives-were-changed-forever-by-the-war\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Afghanistan.goodbye.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Candid reflections on Afghanistan from those whose lives were changed forever by the war<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">A look back on 20 years of war by people directly involved.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defense department officials and diplomats told The Associated Press the withdrawal has involved closing smaller bases over the last year. They said that since Biden announced the end-of-summer withdrawal date in mid-April, only roughly 60 military personnel had left the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. and its NATO allies went into Afghanistan together on Oct. 7, 2001 to hunt the al-Qaida perpetrators of the 9\/11 jihadi attacks who lived under the protection of the country\u2019s Taliban rulers. Two months later, the Taliban had been defeated and al-Qaida fighters and their leader, Osama bin Laden, were on the run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his withdrawal announcement last month, Biden said the initial mission was accomplished a decade ago when U.S. Navy SEALS killed bin Laden in his hideout in neighboring Pakistan. Since then, al-Qaida has been degraded, while the terrorist threat has \u201cmetastasized\u201d into a global phenomenon that is not contained by keeping thousands of troops in one country, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until now the U.S. and NATO have received no promises from the Taliban that they won\u2019t attack troops during the pullout. In a response to AP questions, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said the Taliban leadership was still mulling over its strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1232308894.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-95999\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1232308894.jpg.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1232308894.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1232308894.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1232308894.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1232308894.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Joe Biden speaks from the Treaty Room in the White House about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan on April 14, 2021, in Washington. (Andrew Harnik\/Pool via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The insurgent group continues to accuse Washington of breaching the deal it signed with Biden\u2019s predecessor more than a year ago. In that agreement, the U.S. said it would have all troops out by May 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement Saturday, Taliban military spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the passing of the May 1 deadline for a complete withdrawal \u201copened the way for (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) mujahidin to take every counteraction it deems appropriate against the occupying forces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, he said fighters on the battlefield will wait for a decision from the leadership before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2021\/04\/30\/pentagon-preparing-for-taliban-attacks-during-us-withdrawal\/\" target=_blank>launching any attacks<\/a> and that decision will be based on \u201cthe sovereignty, values and higher interests of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Violence has spiked in Afghanistan since the February 2020 deal was signed. Peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government, which were part of the agreement, quickly bogged down. On Friday, a truck bomb in eastern Logar province killed 21 people, many of them police and students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Afghans have paid the highest price since 2001, with 47,245 civilians killed, according to the Costs of War project. Millions more have been displaced inside Afghanistan or have fled to Pakistan, Iran and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Afghanistan\u2019s security forces are expected to come under increasing pressure from the Taliban after the withdrawal if no peace agreement is reached in the interim, according to Afghan watchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since the start of the war they have taken heavy losses, with estimates ranging from 66,000 to 69,000 Afghan troops killed. The Afghan military has been battered by corruption. The U.S. and NATO pay $4 billion a year to sustain the force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some 300,000 Afghan troops are on the books, although the actual number is believed to be lower. Commanders have been found to inflate the numbers to collect paychecks of so-called \u201cghost soldiers,\u201d according to the U.S. watchdog monitoring Washington\u2019s spending in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last year was the only year U.S. and NATO troops did not suffer a loss. The Defense Department says 2,442 U.S. troops have been killed and 20,666 wounded since 2001. It is estimated that over 3,800 U.S. private security contractors have been killed. The Pentagon does not track their deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/04\/14\/secdef-hints-at-lingering-us-involvement-with-afghanistan-after-withdrawal\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6010158.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">SECDEF hints at lingering US involvement with Afghanistan after withdrawal<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Troops will be out by Sept. 11, but there are talks of continuing to fund Afghan forces.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The conflict also has killed 1,144 personnel from NATO countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Taliban, meanwhile, are at their strongest since being ousted in 2001. While mapping their gains and territorial holds is difficult, they are believed to hold sway or outright control over nearly half of Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are telling the departing Americans &#8230; you fought a meaningless war and paid a cost for that and we also offered huge sacrifices for our liberation,\u201d Shaheen told the AP on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Striking a more conciliatory tone, he added: \u201cIf you &#8230; open a new chapter of helping Afghans in reconstruction and rehabilitation of the country, the Afghans will appreciate that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In announcing the departure, Biden said waiting for ideal conditions to leave would consign America to an indefinite stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Afghan capital and throughout the country, there is a growing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/opinion\/commentary\/2021\/04\/02\/getting-wrong-the-right-way-to-get-out-of-afghanistan\/\" target=_blank>fear that chaos will follow<\/a> the departure of the last foreign troops. After billions of dollars and decades of war, many Afghans wonder at whether it was worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Kandahar Airfield received ineffective indirect fire this afternoon; no injury to personnel or damage to equipment.\u00a0 <br><br>Gen Miller has been clear about the Coalition&#39;s intent to protect the force. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lcxicIgHHP\">pic.twitter.com\/lcxicIgHHP<\/a><\/p>&mdash; USFOR-A Spokesman Col Sonny Leggett (@USFOR_A) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/USFOR_A\/status\/1388474917495185410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 1, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Saturday marks the official start of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":100003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":12,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,8,23,89,12,26,62,65],"tags":[],"coauthors":[2179],"class_list":["post-63900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-your-navy"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"LJPCYIMYLFH75APFDJ7CO4NYYQ","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-military\/2021\/05\/01\/us-nato-forces-begin-final-phase-of-afghan-pullout\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>US, NATO forces begin final phase of Afghan pullout - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Saturday marks the official start of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"US, NATO forces begin final phase of Afghan pullout\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Saturday marks the official start of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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