KABUL, July 8 — NATO took command of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan on August 11, 2003, marking the alliance’s first major operation outside Europe. The mission was authorized by UN Security Council Resolution 1386 in December 2001. At its peak in 2011, the International Security Assistance Force, known by its acronym ISAF, fielded over 130,000 troops from 50 countries, including 28 NATO members.
The mission aimed to train Afghan security forces and support the Afghan government. The ISAF mission ended on December 28, 2014.
On that date, NATO transitioned to the non-combat Resolute Support Mission, which provided training and advice to Afghan forces. That mission involved about 16,000 troops at its peak.
The strategic pivot and the withdrawal
The trajectory of NATO’s Afghan commitment shifted with the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed on February 29, 2020. That accord set the terms for the withdrawal of all NATO troops from Afghanistan, a process completed by August 30, 2021. The consequences were swift.
The Taliban takeover of Kabul occurred on August 15, 2021, weeks before the final departure of international forces. NATO’s Afghan mission cost the alliance an estimated $1 trillion in total.
The human toll was severe: over 3,500 coalition deaths, including 2,455 U.S. service members. The figures underscore the scale of the commitment. The 130,000 troops at the ISAF peak represented forces from a coalition that included all 28 NATO members at the time plus 22 partner nations.
Geopolitical context
The Afghanistan campaign was NATO’s first major operation outside Europe. The alliance’s decision to take command of ISAF in 2003 marked its first deployment outside Europe and North America. The transition from ISAF to the Resolute Support Mission in 2014 was intended to shift from combat operations to a non-combat supporting role.
Looking ahead, the legacy of the ISAF mission remains a subject of debate within NATO capitals. The alliance’s $1 trillion expenditure and the loss of over 3,500 personnel have prompted internal reviews.
The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 has also raised questions about the durability of the Afghan security forces that NATO spent years training. The Resolute Support Mission’s advisory role ended with the withdrawal, leaving the Afghan military to operate without international support.
