Lowy Institute for International Policy | Afghanistan War

An Afghan Mi-17 comes in to land at the Afghan National Army’s Forward Operating Base Eagle in Qalat in 2015​. Photo: Department of Defence   Overview The War in Afghanistan was the longest military conflict in Australian history. The war involved all elements of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and thousands of Australian service men and women were deployed to the theatre over the last thirteen years. The shape, size and mission of the Australian contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan went through several distinct phases, from initial combat operations against al-Qaeda and Taliban forces, through to reconstruction efforts and security sector reform in Uruzgan Province, to a supporting role. At its height, the ADF had 1,550 personnel serving in Afghanistan and has spent an estimated $7.5 billion on its operations there.   Why was Australia there? The Afghan War was an element of the global War on Terror, which began with the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in New York City and Washington D.C. For the United States and many of its allies, the events of 9/11 brought to bear the threat of international terrorism and the spaces and countries where these terrorists were able to find refuge. Afghanistan, since the early 1990s, had become a haven for the Islamic terrorist organisation al-Qaeda and its senior leadership, including Osama bin Laden. The initial stages of the War in Afghanistan were conducted under the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom; the second stage of this operation would be the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Broadly, in the month following 9/11, the United States demanded that the Taliban regime that was in control of a majority of Afghanistan give up Osama bin Laden and shut down all training camps and bases that were being used within its territory for terrorism-related purposes. When the Taliban leadership refused, the United States and Coalition partners used this as a pretext to overthrow the regime in order to pursue Osama bin Laden and eliminate al-Qaeda training facilities within the country. In response to the terrorist attacks on 11 September and following these events the Coalition government of John Howard invoked Article VI of the ANZUS Treaty and committed military forces to assist the United States in its initial operation in Afghanistan and the following war and reconstruction. The initial reasons for Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan, namely to defend our ANZUS Treaty partner, have largely evolved since 2001. While the initial objective of the war was accomplished in the first months, namely the overthrow of the Taliban regime and the destruction of terrorist training facilities, the Australian Government has since justified the conflict on the grounds of denying Afghanistan as a base or safe haven for international terrorist organisations, like it was used by al-Qaeda in the build-up to 9/11. The Australian Government and the NATO-led ISAF and other international organisations, have since been committed to combating the remaining Taliban and al-Qaeda forces throughout the country, training Afghan security forces and rebuilding government institutions as a measure of guarantee against Afghanistan again becoming a base for international terrorism.   Operation Slipper Australian military operations in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014, under the label Operation Slipper, went through several phases. From late 2001 throughout 2002 Australian Special Forces units from the Australian Special Air Service Regiment were deployed throughout Afghanistan, assisting US, Coalition and Northern Alliance forces in the initial conflict. At the end of 2002, Australia withdrew the majority of its military personnel from Afghanistan, and it was not until 2005 that a significant Australian military presence re-entered the Afghan conflict. In 2006, reconstruction efforts aimed at rebuilding Afghanistan’s security forces and institutions commenced throughout the country, led by multi-national reconstruction teams and ISAF forces. Australia, along with the Netherlands, was given responsibility for Uruzgan Province in south-central Afghanistan. Uruzgan Province, along with personnel assigned to provide command, logistic and communication support to the Middle East Area of Operations, has been where the majority of Australian military forces have operated during the Afghan War. Between 2006 and 2010, Dutch and Australian forces focused on reconstruction activities throughout the Province, based primarily around the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) concept. By early 2008, the number of ADF personnel in theatre had reached 900, and the overall mission was shifted from a focus on reconstruction to training Afghan security personnel, primarily units within the Afghanistan National Army. In 2010, command of ISAF operations in Uruzgan was transferred from Dutch control to a US-led multinational command structure, with Australia assuming control of the PRT. In October 2012, the ADF was handed control of Combined Team – Uruzgan, where Australia assumed control of all ISAF combat and reconstruction activities within the Province. By late 2013, Australia had completed its withdrawal of all ADF forces from Uruzgan Province, leaving 400 ADF personnel in Afghanistan in training and support roles, mostly located in Kandahar and Kabul. Overall, 41 Australians have been killed in the war and 262 have been wounded.   Operation Highroad January 2015 saw the launch of a new advisory NATO-led mission in Afghanistan called Resolute Support, which has the express objective of providing training, advice and assistance for Afghan security forces and other Afghan institutions and replaced the International Security Assistance Force mission. Correspondingly, January 2015 saw the end of the ADF's Operation Slipper and the start of Operation Highroad. As part of Operation Highroad, 400 ADF personel and Department of Defence civilian employees are currently deployed in Afghanistan.   What the Lowy Institute does The Lowy Institute has published a variety of research on Australia’s involvement in the Afghan War since its establishment in 2003. West Asia Program Director Anthony Bubalo and Research Fellow Dr Rodger Shanahan have been leading observers of Australia’s military operations in Afghanistan, as well as commenting regularly on domestic and international political issues surrounding the war. Currently the main focus of the Institute's work on the Afghan War is on the Australian and Coalition withdrawal and the consequences for regional security.