ABSTRACT
The international military intervention in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks on the United States (US) homeland has exacerbated the conflict in that country. The early beginnings of the conflict and consequent instability in Afghanistan can be traced to the period preceding the Soviet intervention. In Afghanistan, the ethno-tribal power competition, and the Pushtun domination of the political space, has always been an important factor in maintaining equilibrium in the political system. The Taliban withdrawal from Kandahar on 9 December 2001 marked the end of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The Taliban–Al Qaeda relationship has further strengthened in post-9/11 Afghanistan. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on American homeland, the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom was primarily targeted at decimating the Taliban–Al Qaeda terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan and depriving the Al Qaeda of its territorial base for carrying out future attacks. International Security Assistance Force commenced its mission in Afghanistan on 20 December 2001.
