In 38 years, Afghanistan has gone from being the downfall of the Soviet Union to the longest war in US history. In that time, the people have endured a brutal civil war, the rise of the Taliban, and a US-led invasion that continues to this day. This is an explainer on how the nation that helped end the Cold War is still mired in conflict nearly four decades later.

See the Afghanistan TimeLine here

Bush declares war after 9/11

ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz explains what role the U.S. has played in Afghanistan in recent years and why the Taliban wants to take over the country.

President Joe Biden addresses the nation on the crisis in Afghanistan after the deadly Kabul attack.

The US-Taliban deal of February 2020 and the role it has played in the militant group's takeover of Afghanistan.

An excellent Summary

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan more rapidly than intelligence officials expected. Here’s how.

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan more rapidly than intelligence officials expected. Here’s how.

The withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan has set the stage for a return of the Taliban, 20 years after they were ousted in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. In this report for Arte and FRANCE 24, correspondents Margaux Benn and Solène Chalvon Fioriti offer an in-depth look at Taliban rule, with its schools and Court of Justice – and a chilling foretaste of daily life under Islamic fundamentalists.