American Forces leave Afghanistan's Kandhar Military Base

In a step intended to reduce its footprint in the region, American forces have left the Kandahar military base in Afghanistan, U.S defense officials announced Friday.

In this regard, American forces have completed their withdrawal from Kandahar military base in Afghanistan.

Earlier this week, the Kandahar Airfield was turned over to the Afghan National Defense Security Forces, the American officials said.

According to international reports, the latest decision to leave the biggest military base in Afignstan is a sign the US is looking to dramatically reduce its footprint in the region.

Notably, the Kandahar province is historically significant as the birthplace of the Taliban and the last major city where the United States drove the extremist Islamic movement from power in 2001. Meanwhile, Taliban rebels have continued to try to regain control of the city, often taking over towns and areas in Kandahar province for short periods of time until being driven out again.

It has been one of the main bases housing the U.S. and international troops. Moreover, the sprawling military base and airfield were home to more than 26,000 U.S. and international troops.

When coalition combat operations officially transitioned to a training mission in late 2014, Kandahar became the training hub for the southern region of Afghanistan, according to American media.

In April, the Taliban targeted the Kandahar Airfield with a rocket attack that did not cause any casualties or damage.

According to an official statement issued on 14 April by President Joe Biden, the Maven politician said: “The US cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding its military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result."

In 2020, the United States and the Islamic fundamentalist group Taliban inked a peace agreement titled the (Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan) with provisions including the withdrawal of all regular American and NATO troops from Afghanistan, a Taliban pledge to prevent al-Qaeda from operating in areas under Taliban control, and talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

Nearly, 2,300 U.S. troops have lost their lives and more than 20,000 have been wounded since the U.S. toppled the ruling Taliban in 2001 after it refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda and the architect of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. On the other hand, over 100,000 Afghan civilians have also been killed or injured since 2009.

It's worth mentioning that American forces conquered the Asian country in 2001 following the September 11 attacks, with the resulting war becoming the United States' longest military battle.