As the American withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan continues, the U.S. forces gave control of Bagram's air base to the Afghan military. This is a symbolic and consequential move. The transfer of control of Bagram, located 45 miles north-east of Kabul, signifies that the U.S. will withdraw its forces well in advance of President Joe Biden's September 11th deadline. Officials claim it could happen within days. As security conditions continue to worsen, the U.S. has handed over Bagram, the U.S. base for the offensive in Afghanistan. The U.S. withdrawal and Taliban advances in the country have raised concerns about civil conflict nearly 20 years after the Taliban regime was overthrown by American forces.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBagram was the entry point for thousands American troops who were engaged in the U.S. declared War on Terror following the September 11th attacks. In many ways, the history of Bagram reflects the failure of foreign conquests and the massive scale of the American military machine after the Americans took control. Bagram Airfield was constructed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It was a crucial military hub during the Soviets' 10-year occupation in Afghanistan. The Washington Post reports that the Taliban and the Northern Alliance fought for it after the Soviets left in 1989. Sometimes they had their trenches at each end. The American war had brought about a large scale transformation of the base into a city. It was home to two runaways and thousands of people. There were shops, restaurants, and even a U.S. military prison, which became famous for being used as a C.I.A. black site.AdvertisementSubscribe to the Slatest Newsletter Get a daily email update with the latest stories. Signing you up was not possible due to an error Please try again. To use this form, please enable jаvascript. Email address: I would like to receive updates on Slate special offers. You agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms by signing up. Thank you for signing up! You can cancel your subscription at any time.After years of declining troop numbers, the U.S. is about to hand over the leadership of its allied and U.S. military effort. Tens of thousands of U.S. contractors and troops were stationed in Afghanistan a decade ago. This presence has been reduced to just 2,500 troops this past year. The U.S. will have 650 troops on the ground to defend the American Embassy in Kabul after the withdrawal process is complete. Over the course the conflict, more than 2,400 American soldiers have been killed and another 20,000 injured. Tens of thousands of Afghan forces were killed in combat, but Afghan civilians borne the brunt with 47,245 deaths during the two-decade-long war.
