Afghanistan: Biden ‘was playing politics’ says Neil

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Two decades after US and allied forces overthrew the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the group is now back in power. The Taliban entered Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on Sunday, earlier than western forces estimated. Controversially, the UK and the US are now leaving Afghanistan, and evacuations are currently taking place.

How did the war in Afghanistan start?

The US decided to begin military action in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks in America, which were carried out by terror group Al-Qaeda.

Al-Qaeda was welcomed in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, and it is where the group planned their attacks on the US.

The administration under president George W. Bush ordered the Taliban to turn in Al-Qaeda leaders to the US authorities.

When the Taliban refused to do so, the US began military action in Afghanistan, and the Taliban were eventually ousted from power at the end of 2001.

How did the UK get involved in Afghanistan?

On October 7, 2001, then-prime minister Tony Blair confirmed British forces were involved in US-led military action against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan.

In a speech, Mr Blair said: “There is no diplomacy with Bin Laden or the Taliban regime.

“We stated the ultimatum; they haven’t responded.”

He added: “To the Afghan people we make this commitment. We will not walk away, as the outside world has done so many times before.”

The first UK troops were deployed to Afghanistan in November 2001.

Why is the UK leaving Afghanistan this year?

Former president Donald Trump signed a deal with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, in February 2020.

The deal committed to withdrawing US and allied troops from Afghanistan by May 2021.

The Taliban agreed to undertake measures to prevent terror groups like Al-Qaeda from threatening the US and its allies’ security.

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President Joe Biden backed this deal when he came into office after winning the 2020 presidential election.

Mr Biden announced earlier this year that all American troops would be out of Afghanistan by September.

Other Nato allies, including the UK, also confirmed they would withdraw from Afghanistan this year.

The UK had been involved in the conflict in Afghanistan for 20 years.

More than 450 British troops died, and hundreds of UK personnel suffered severe and life-changing injuries in the conflict.

The UK began withdrawing the last 750 military trainers in Afghanistan in May 2021.

Speaking in July about the UK’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told MPs: “We can take pride that Britain was part of that effort from the beginning.

“Over the last two decades, 150,000 members of our armed forces have served in Afghanistan – mainly in Helmand province, which was from 2006 onwards a focus of our operation.

“In the unforgiving desert of some of the world’s harshest terrain – and shoulder-to-shoulder with Afghan security forces – our servicemen and women sought to bring development and stability.

“The House would join with me in commending their achievements and pay heartfelt tribute to the 457 British service personnel who laid down their lives in Afghanistan to keep us safe.”

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