Afghan Air Force

August 13, 2021 | Bill Roggio, Andrew Tobin

After lengthy siege, Lashkar Gah is taken by the Taliban

Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, fell to the Taliban after a lengthy seige. With Helmand and Kandahar provinces in the hands of the Taliban, the rest of the south will go under Taliban control...

August 13, 2021 | Bill Roggio, Andrew Tobin

Afghan government on verge of collapse as Taliban capture 4 more cities

The Taliban seized control of four more provincial capitals, and cemented it’s control of the strategic south with the capture of Zabul and Uruzgan provinces. The Taliban captured the provincial capitals...

August 12, 2021 | Bill Roggio, Andrew Tobin

Kandahar City falls to the Taliban

The Taliban continues to wrack up a string of major victories today. Kandahar City, the country’s second largest city, collapsed after Taliban forces besieged it for more than two months. It is the third...

August 9, 2021 | Bill Roggio |

Fifth northern Afghan capital falls to the Taliban

The Taliban took control of another capital in the strategic Afghan north today as Afghan security forces and government officials fled Aybak in Samangan province. Aybak is the fifth northern capital to...

August 8, 2021 | Bill Roggio |

Taliban takes control of Afghan provincial capitals of Kunduz, Sar-i-Pul and Taloqan

The Taliban took control of the provincial capitals of Taloqan and Kunduz and Sar-i-Pul cities, the third, fourth, and fifth capitals to fall to the Taliban over the past three days. The Taliban continues...

July 26, 2021 | LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster, Bradley Bowman

How to Avert Disaster in Afghanistan

The least the U.S. can do is offer air support, intel and ensure proper logistics and maintenance contracting.

June 9, 2021 | Bradley Bowman, Ryan Brobst, Maj Jared Thompson

Help The Afghan Air Force To Blunt Taliban Attacks

At the NATO Summit in Brussels, the United States should finalize a plan with its allies to ensure the Afghan air force has the maintenance and logistical support it requires to remain combat effective. The...

May 27, 2021 | Bill Roggio |

Afghan military targets Al Qaeda’s network in Helmand

The Afghan military has launched multiple attacks against Al Qaeda’s network in the southern province of Helmand over the past week. Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, Al Qaeda’s regional branch that...

May 25, 2021 | Bill Roggio |

Analysis: Predicting the coming Taliban offensive

As the U.S. withdraws from Afghanistan after two decades, the Taliban is doubling down on its efforts to retake the country by force of arms to restore its Islamic Emirate. The question isn’t whether...

March 17, 2019 | Bill Roggio |

Taliban routs Afghan forces in western Afghan district

The Taliban has routed an Afghan National Army company and a border police force while pressing its offensive in the western Afghan district of Bala Murghab in Badghis province. Bala Murghab distri...

March 7, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Islamic State launches mortars at memorial service in Kabul

The Islamic State’s Khorasan arm quickly claimed responsibility for an attack on a memorial service in the Afghan capital earlier today. The rally was held in honor of Abdul Ali Mazari, an ethnic Hazara...

August 24, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

Green-on-Blue Attacks in Afghanistan: The Data

Data last updated on Oct. 16, 2012 I. Introduction II. Data Summary...