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News Desk: On Monday America’s longest war came to an end. After 20 years of military operation, their last troops left Afghanistan. Taliban watched the last U.S. planes disappear into the sky over Afghanistan around midnight Monday and then joyously fired their guns into the air.
On this Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said “Afghanistan has gained full independence. Congratulations to Afghanistan… this victory belongs to us all. Taliban’s victory is a big lesson for invaders”
A senior Taliban official Anas Haqqani said “I am proud to witness this historic moment”. Another Taliban fighter Hemad Sherzad said “The last five aircraft have left, it’s over! I cannot express my happiness in words. … Our 20 years of sacrifice worked”
Taliban – USA fight: The story so far
After the 9/11 attacks in 2001, American forces entered Afghanistan for anti-terror operations, ousting the Taliban. Over the next years, the American forces remained in the country and took on nation-building tasks by providing financial aid, training Afghan forces against the insurgents.
However, Afghanistan returned to Taliban rule on August 15 even as foreign forces started withdrawing from the country as per the peace deal. In the February 2020 agreement, Washington committed to withdrawing its forces, while the Taliban agreed to not attack American troops in the meantime.