NYT | 23.08.17

by Sarah Almukhtar

The American war in Afghanistan is the longest and one of the costliest military operations in United States history.

Yet, the Taliban are back in many parts of the country from which they had been purged, and militants associated with both the Taliban and the Islamic State frequently attack civilians.

Afghan forces still lack the manpower, equipment and training needed to take back large areas of territory from Taliban control, said Caitlin Forrest, an Afghanistan expert at the Institute for the Study of War.

The institute has been tracking who controls different parts of Afghanistan. Here is its latest analysis of the growing reach of the Taliban and the Islamic State:

President Trump announced on Monday that he would send more troops to Afghanistan as part of his strategy to “win” the conflict.

The plan that Mr. Trump spelled out is similar to that of President Barack Obama and prioritizes counterterrorism and training Afghan forces. But, he said, “We are not nation-building again. We are killing terrorists.”

A terrorist attack in Kabul that killed 150 people in May could have been the deadliest in Afghanistan since the start of the American-led invasion in 2001.