AfghanistanOperation Enduring Freedom, the American-led
international effort to oust the Taliban regime in
Afghanistan and destroy Osama bin Laden's al-Queda
terrorist network based there, began on October 7, 2001.
Within two months, U.S. forces had effectively removed
the Taliban from operational power, but the war
continued as U.S. and coalition forces attempted to
defeat a Taliban insurgency campaign based in
neighboring Pakistan.
Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the
September 11th attack, remained at large until May 2,
2011, when he was finally tracked down and killed by
U.S. forces at a hideout in Pakistan.
In June 2011, President Barack Obama announced the
beginning of large-scale troop withdrawls from
Afghanistan. Four years later there were still troops
in Afghanistan.