On this day: US, Britain strike Afghanistan over September 11 attacks, kickstart War on Terror

The bombing targeted Taliban and al-Qaeda forces, and was the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom, which would span over a decade until December 31, 2014.

On October 7, 2001, the United States and Britain began their first attacks on Afghanistan in retaliation for the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, in what would be the beginning of the "War on Terror."

The bombing targeted Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists and was the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom, which would span over a decade (until December 31, 2014), and be followed immediately by a second operation (Operation Freedom's Sentinel), which lasted until August 31, 2021.

Ahead of the strikes on Afghanistan, the US demanded that the Taliban turn over Osama bin Laden, along with all other al-Qaeda leaders, among several other demands.

The Taliban refused, claiming that it had no evidence that bin Laden was responsible for the September 11 attack, and instead, on October 7, proposed to try him in an Islamic court. The US rejected this proposal.

Bin Laden was killed by US forces on May 2, 2011, when the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, commonly referred to as US Navy SEAL Team Six, carried out a special operation in Pakistan, where the terror emir was living.

US pulls out of Afghanistan after deal with Taliban

The US fully pulled out of Afghanistan on August 31, 2021, when then-president Joe Biden carried out a troop withdrawal deal made with the Taliban by his predecessor, US President Donald Trump.

As the US troops departed, they destroyed more than 70 aircraft and dozens of armored vehicles, and disabled air defenses that had thwarted an attempted Islamic State rocket attack on the eve of the US departure.

Having failed to anticipate the Taliban would prevail so quickly, Washington and its NATO allies were forced into a hasty exit, leaving behind thousands of Afghans who helped them and may have qualified for evacuation and others who feel at risk.

Nearly 2,500 Americans were killed in the conflict. Many of them were just born when the September 11 attacks took place.