Appendix 3

Timeline of events

This appendix provides a summary timeline of key recent events in Australia's engagement and withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Date
Event
29 February 2020
US-Taliban Agreement signed in Qatar
Conditions of the agreement include an initial drawdown of US and allied forces from Afghanistan within 135 days of the agreement, to be followed by a complete withdrawal of US and allied forces by May 2021. The terms of the agreement were contingent on a number of factors, including a reduction of violence by the Taliban.1
12 September 2020
Intra-Afghan peace talks commence
Peace talks between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban commence in Doha, with little progress being made in negotiations over the ensuing months.
November 2020
US announces drawdown of troop numbers
The Trump administration orders a drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan, with US forces reducing to 2,500 personnel by January 2021.
13 April 2021
US announcement of withdrawal by 11 September 2021
The Biden administration announces that all remaining US personnel would withdraw from Afghanistan before the 20th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.
On 2 July the US announced that it had vacated Bagram, its most important airfield in the country.
On 8 July 2021, President Biden announces the US military mission in Afghanistan would conclude on 31 August 2021.
95 per cent of the US withdrawal process is completed by 20 July 2021.
14 April 2021
NATO commences military withdrawal
NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan commenced a full withdrawal from the country, working towards a 1 May 2021 deadline.
15 April 2021
Australia announces ADF withdrawal
Australian Government announces the withdrawal of remaining Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel in Afghanistan. At this time, the ADF had already drawn down to 80 personnel. The final ADF personnel were withdrawn from Afghanistan in mid-June 2021.
28 May 2021
Closure of Australian embassy in Kabul
On 4 May 2021, DFAT recommends in a submission to the Minister for Foreign Affairs that the Australian Embassy Kabul be closed. On 13 May, the government makes the decision to close the embassy.
Embassy staff and locally engaged employees are advised of the decision on 21 May.
On 25 May the government publicly announces that the embassy would close on 28 May 2021. According to the public statement, it was intended that the closure would be an interim measure, with DFAT officials continuing to regularly visit Afghanistan from a post elsewhere in the region.
DFAT update travel advice on 25 May to advise that Australia’s ability to provide consular assistance would be severely limited after the embassy closure.
April-August 2021
Taliban resurgence across Afghanistan
Between April and August 2021, the Taliban advances its strategy to retake Afghanistan.
On 1 July 2021, DFAT strengthened its travel advice to urge Australians not to delay departing the country
By 16 July 2021, the Taliban are estimated to control just over half of all Afghanistan’s district centres.
By 21 July 2021 US military officials believed ‘a Taliban automatic military takeover’ was ‘not a forgone conclusion’, while also acknowledging the ‘strategic momentum appears to be sort of with the Taliban'.
In early August, the Taliban launch assaults on two major Afghan cities, Kandahar and Herat.
The Taliban seize its first provincial capital, Zaranj, of Nimruz province, on 6 August. By 11 August, the Taliban have seized a further eight provincial capitals across the country. Kandahar and Herat fall under Taliban control by 13 August.
On 13 August, DFAT advise Australians to leave the country now, noting the airport may close or commercial flights may cease with little warning.
On 14 August, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and close advisers leave Afghanistan, signalling the collapse of the Afghan Government.
All 34 provincial capitals are under Taliban control by 15 August.
15 August 2021
Taliban forces enter Kabul
The Taliban enter Kabul and encounter little to no resistance in retaking the city, assuming control of the Afghan presidential palace.
18-26 August 2021
Australian evacuation operations
A DFAT-chaired Inter-Departmental Emergency Taskforce to coordinate Australia's evacuation response meets daily from 13 August 2021.
A team of DFAT, Home Affairs and ADF personnel enter
Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) from 17 August 2021, under ADF force protection to ensure the safety of government personnel.
Between 18 and 26 August, over 4,100 people are evacuated from Kabul under the Australian evacuation effort, including Australian nationals, other foreign nationals, and visa holders at risk in Afghanistan.
A staging area is established at Al Minhad Air Base (AMAB) in the United Arab Emirates. Australia coordinates 32 evacuation flights from Kabul to its staging area AMAB between 18 and 26 August.
As of 8 October 2021, 27 flights have brought around 3,950 evacuees from AMAB to Australia.
Sources:
Nicole Brangwin and Thea Gellerfy, 'Background to the Afghanistan withdrawal: a quick guide', Parliamentary Library Research Paper Series 2021​-22, 26 August 2021.
Ruby Mellen, 'The shocking speed of the Taliban’s advance: A visual timeline', Washington Post, 16 August 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/16/taliban-timeline/ (accessed 20 October 2021).
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Submission 22.
Department of Defence, Submission 20.

 |  Contents  | 

Past Public Hearings

02 Feb 2022: Canberra
15 Nov 2021: Canberra
08 Nov 2021: Canberra