Most European troops have already left Afghanistan, secretly retreating months before the US-led mission was set to officially conclude, in an anticlimactic end to a never-ending war that threatens to plunge the country into civil strife.
On Wednesday, Germany and Italy declared their missions in Afghanistan complete, and Poland’s final troops returned home, bringing their deployments to a low-key finish nearly 20 years after the first Western forces arrived in Afghanistan.
According to announcements from several countries studied, the majority of European troops have now left with little fanfare, in stark contrast to the dramatic and public display of force and unity when Nato allies lined up to support the US invasion to rid the country of Al Qaeda following the September 11, 2001, attacks.
In the decades that followed, the battle shifted from one objective to the next. The administration of former US President George W. Bush shied away from nation-building, while the United Nations argued for a small footprint. However, as time passed, NATO and US soldiers began to play a larger role in establishing Afghanistan’s National Security and Defense Forces as well as training police. The US and Nato military forces totaled about 150,000 at the height of the conflict.
In April, Nato agreed to remove its 7,000 non-American troops from Afghanistan to coincide with US President Joe Biden’s plan to evacuate all American troops from the country on May 1.
Biden set a deadline for the evacuation of US forces of September 11th. However, American officials have lately stated that the drawdown will most certainly be completed by July 4, and many allies have taken steps to end their own presence by that date.
On Wednesday, Nato refused to say how many countries are still sending soldiers to the Resolute Support mission. However, an examination of 19 governments’ own pronouncements reveals that nearly 4,800 non-American soldiers had left.
The US has declined to provide military numbers, although between 2,500 and 3,500 troops were deployed when Biden announced the final evacuation. The US has likewise declined to offer a firm deadline for its exit.
A total of 832,000 American troops had served in Afghanistan as of February. There were also over 25,100 civilians from the Defense Department stationed there.
Late Tuesday evening, shortly after the last plane carrying German troops had departed Afghan airspace, Germany publicly declared the end of its nearly 20-year commitment in a statement and a series of tweets from the defense minister.
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