Blast walls, rocket attacks, Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)... and long queues in the canteen. Anyone who deployed to Afghanistan, in whatever role, between 2001-2021 will have their own vivid memories of that time.
It started with the flight in – to Kandahar, Kabul or Camp Bastion. It could be a long, slow descent with the lights out on an RAF jet, or a rapid, corkscrew down in a C-130 transport plane. In both cases the aim was to avoid being blown out of the air by a Taliban surface-to-air missile.
Over the course of 20 years, thousands of servicemen and women, as well as civilians, from dozens of countries deployed to Afghanistan, answering the US call for assistance.
This call came in the form of invoking NATO's Article 5 of its charter – the only time it has ever happened in NATO's 77-year history – which states that an attack on one member shall be deemed an attack on all.
America was reeling from the devastating 9/11 attacks when al-Qaeda, which was being sheltered by the Taliban in Afghanistan, murdered nearly 3,000 people by flying packed airliners into New York's Twin Towers and the Pentagon in Washington.
The Taliban were swiftly driven from power in a joint effort by the US military, the CIA and Afghanistan's Northern Alliance.
Then it was all about trying to hunt down the remnants of al-Qaeda as Britain's Royal Marines, together with UK Special Forces, pursued them over the mountains but many escaped to safety in Pakistan.
It was not until ten years later that the US Navy's Seal Team Six commandos tracked down the al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, in a villa in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The first two years of the US-led 'Operation Enduring Freedom' were relatively quiet. By late 2003, as America's attention switched to Iraq, US servicemen even started referring to Afghanistan as 'Op Forgotten'. But it was still dangerous.
From a rain-soaked Kandahar airbase, we watched Romanian troops edge nervously out on patrol in their Soviet-era armoured vehicles, wary of the next ambush.
It was evident from accounts shared during a visit to a remote firebase that the Taliban were actively engaging in guerrilla warfare.
Things escalated after 2006 when the UK deployed in force to Helmand province, a part that had been relatively peaceful until then. The ferocity of the fighting surprised some government officials who were unprepared for the level of conflict that ensued.
Not only Americans faced the battle's burden; service members from various countries including the UK, Canada, Denmark, and Estonia were deeply involved in the efforts, as were many brave Afghans, whose sacrifices were profound.
Most soldiers’ fears stemmed from hidden IEDs, expertly concealed by the Taliban, which led to tragic injuries and fatalities.
Despite the harrowing experiences and losses, the resilience of service members echoed, showcasing their extraordinary spirit in overcoming adversity.
This shared experience of combat has led to deep feelings among nations about the sacrifices made, especially in light of recent political tensions regarding the contributions of NATO forces in Afghanistan.
