This post explains “Why Taliban Won The War? Factors that made Taliban victory possible. How did the Taliban win so quickly? Who won the Afghanistan war 2021? Why Taliban Won The War?”
Despite limited resources, outdated weapons, and scattered leadership, the Taliban ultimately won the war. The world—including the indigenous people of Afghanistan—had expected a victory by the United States and its allies. In contrast, more than thirty powerful NATO states, equipped with modern weapons, technology, tactics, and sophisticated command and control systems, faced off against a few thousand guerrilla fighters with almost no resources. The outcome of this twenty‐year conflict—the longest war in U.S. and human history—was both unexpected and shocking. However, this result was not determined overnight; rather, a host of factors over time influenced the course of the war, many of which are highlighted below.
Many military and historical analysts predicted this outcome twenty years ago. Even some U.S. war cabinet members recognized the inevitable from the very beginning, although they believed they could change the course of history. As early as a decade ago, the late General Hamid Gul—Pakistan’s renowned military and defense analyst—predicted the eventual defeat of the USA and the victory of the Taliban during an interview on a private television channel.
Pakistan’s Role in Afghan Peace Process
Why Did the Taliban Win the War?
The concept of warfare was fundamentally different for the two opposing sides. For the United States and its allies, the conflict was about safeguarding national interests. For the Taliban, it was a war of freedom and self-defense. They viewed the NATO forces as oppressive invaders, a belief that continually reinforced their determination to fight.
To further their cause, the Taliban capitalized on the element of jihad by exploiting the religious sentiments of the people. Since the majority of NATO forces were non-Muslim, many indigenous Afghans perceived the conflict as a struggle between Islam and Christianity. In the early days of the Afghan war, even George W. Bush Jr. referred to it as a “second crusade,” a characterization that only deepened the public’s conviction in the religious nature of the war and led many to support the Taliban.
From the very start, the Afghan war proved challenging for the USA and its allies. They had limited knowledge of the region’s geography, culture, and climate. In contrast, the Taliban enjoyed a significant home-ground advantage: they were intimately familiar with the local terrain, weather, and geographic odds, which the foreign forces lacked.
US Major Mistakes in Afghan War on Terror
Another key factor was the disparity in morale. The seemingly endless war—without a clear or decisive victory—exhausted American troops and dampened their fighting spirit. Meanwhile, the Taliban, expecting a swift victory, maintained a high level of morale throughout the conflict.
Historically, Afghanistan had repelled many powerful states and empires that sought to conquer it, fostering a deep-rooted belief in Afghan resilience. This historical consciousness played a pivotal role in bolstering the Taliban’s ability to resist Western military superiority.
Islamophobia is Not Freedom Of Speech
In the final hours of the war, four major factors contributed to the quick Taliban victory:
Overburdened Afghan Commandos: Finally, the Afghan Commandos—U.S.-trained special forces that constituted only about seven percent of the ANSF—found themselves shouldering roughly eighty percent of the combat operations. Exhausted by relentless fighting against the Taliban and deprived of crucial air support, their morale eventually collapsed.
The Doha Agreement: The first factor was the Doha Agreement reached between America and the Taliban. This accord mandated the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan in an effort to bring peace and stability to the country. Crucially, the agreement required the U.S. to refrain from air strikes—an essential element of the Afghan government’s defense. With American air support withdrawn, the Taliban was able to conduct ground operations at just a sub-threshold level, gradually seizing territory without triggering a breach of the agreement.
Fragility of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF): The second factor was the inherent weakness of the ANSF. Inadequate training, weak leadership, widespread illiteracy, and a lack of a determined fighting spirit rendered the ANSF exceptionally vulnerable.
Corruption Within the ANSF Leadership: Another significant factor was the endemic corruption among ANSF officers. Routine diversion of supplies for personal profit and the creation of fictitious recruits to claim salaries undermined the effectiveness of the Afghan security apparatus.
US Strategic Tilt Towards India: Causes And Consequences
Tags: Why Taliban Won The War? Why Taliban Won The War? Why Taliban Won The War? Why Taliban Won The War? Why Taliban Won The War?
