Afghanistan

5 days: The key dates that led to a Taliban takeover in Afghanistan

They lost the country 20 years ago. In a matter of months the Taliban has regained control. Scroll through to see their swift advance.

NBC News

By Saphora Smith and Jiachuan Wu
image via: Wali Sabawoon\ NurPhoto \ GETTY

Few predicted that it would happen this fast. 

The Taliban are on the brink of power in Afghanistan after sweeping through the country at break-neck speed.

After U.S. troops began withdrawing from Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban launched its offensive to take back control of the country they lost to the United States nearly 20 years ago, after it toppled their regime in 2001.

President Donald Trump’s administration had made a deal with the militants in 2020 that all U.S. troops would withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of April 2021. The Taliban was consequently angry with President Joe Biden’s decision to delay full withdrawal to a new deadline of Sept. 11, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that triggered America’s invasion of the war-ravaged country.

Publish : 2021-08-17 09:33:00

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