What you need to know about the war in AfghanistanLatest: The U.S. military has vacated its most important airfield in Afghanistan, Bagram air base, a strategic and emotional milestone in a 20-year U.S. war that the Pentagon is preparing to end. But plans to complete the withdrawal appear to be slowing. Thousands of Afghans have taken up arms and joined militias to beat back the Taliban, which has launched an aggressive offensive in Afghanistan’s north and other rural areas. The uptick in violence prompted the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan to warn that the country could slide into a chaotic, multi-faction civil war and face “very hard times.”More related stories:A timeline of the U.S. war in AfghanistanAs the U.S. departs Afghanistan, will the old Taliban reemerge? The war in Afghanistan: Promises to win, but no vision for victoryHow 20 years of conflict have reshaped Afghanistan’s capital and life in itHow life under Taliban rule in Afghanistan has changed — and how it hasn’tShow More

Source: Washington Post July 05, 2021 16:30 UTC