A Global Response

Compiled by Isaac D. Pacheco, Amanda McCarthy, and Luis A. Jimenez Jr.

In the wake of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the United States supported both the Afghan resistance fighters and diplomatic efforts to achieve a Soviet withdrawal. In the ensuing civil war, an extremist militant Islamic group known as the Taliban rose to national authority through violence and intimidation. The Taliban brutally suppressed the human rights of Afghan citizens, particularly women, and provided a haven for Al Qaida and other terrorist groups.

Following the 9/11 attacks, and the Taliban’s repeated refusal to expel Osama bin Laden and his associates and end its support for international terrorism, the United States and its coalition partners began a military campaign on Oct. 7, 2001, that targeted terrorist facilities and Taliban military and political assets. Over the next two decades, U.S. and coalition troops conducted operations in Afghanistan to dismantle remaining terrorist networks and to support and protect the Afghan people as they sought democratic freedoms.

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Timeline of U.S. Diplomatic Relations with Afghanistan

To view source visit the Office of the Historian website.

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In 2020, the U.S. agreed to withdraw remaining troops from the country with the hope that Afghanistan’s government would be able to maintain security in key areas while the international community continued to press for a political settlement to the country’s internal conflict. Unfortunately, as American troops concluded their planned withdrawal in the summer of 2021, leaders of Afghanistan’s government fled the country, precipitating the collapse of the Afghan military and rapid deterioration of security across the country. With enemy fighters reasserting control over population centers, including Kabul, at-risk Afghans fled to Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in a desperate bid to protect themselves and their families from Taliban retribution.

The imminent arrival of Taliban fighters in August 2021 prompted the emergency suspension of Embassy Kabul’s operations. Mission staff moved to HKIA where they helped support the evacuation of at-risk Afghans. Department of State personnel, U.S. service members, and interagency partners around the world united to assist Afghans in what ultimately became the largest humanitarian airlift operation in American history. This unprecedented effort, which came to be known as Operation Allies Refuge abroad, and Operation Allies Welcome once Afghans arrived Stateside, showcased the courage, empathy, and selflessness of America’s public servants, and demonstrated the United States’ ongoing commitment to its allies and partners across the globe.

As the emergency evacuation winds down, Afghans are beginning to settle into new communities. The Department and its partners remain committed to supporting their transition and integration into American society—and to helping those Afghans who did not depart, and to whom the United States has an enduring commitment. The following vignettes are only a small sampling of the thousands of stories that have arisen from this global response. These accounts detail the many ways that people of different cultures and backgrounds around the world united together to support other humans in need.

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