Located at the crossroads of the Near East, Central Asia, and South Asia, Afghanistan has endured decades of conflict. After the Soviet withdrawal in the late 1980s, the Taliban seized power in 1996, turning the country into a haven for extremist groups, including al-Qaeda. This led to the US invasion following the September 11 attacks and a military mission that lasted 20 years.
But what did this mission entail, and how do things look now? Read through this gallery to find out.