Today, August 30, marks the third anniversary of the withdrawal of the last U.S. soldier from Afghanistan, which ended the United States’ two-decade military presence in the country.
The last U.S. soldier to leave Afghanistan was Maj. Gen. Christopher Todd Donahue.
The departure of U.S. forces from Afghanistan coincided with the collapse of the previous government and the Taliban’s takeover.
On Monday, August 30, 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that after 20 years of war, the last American soldier had left Afghanistan.
Alongside this official announcement, a photo was released of the last American service member to leave Afghan soil.
In May of this year, Gen. Donahue said in a podcast, “I definitely think there are times when you have to stand in a straight line.”
The manner of the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan has faced sharp criticism. During the evacuation operation, a powerful explosion killed more than 170 Afghan citizens and 13 American service members.
