Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of the first Central Intelligence Agency officers stepping onto Afghan soil in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The covert deployment was part of an early U.S. effort to bolster the Northern Alliance, an Afghan coalition fighting the Taliban, as America prepared for a broader military campaign.
The mission, undertaken by a small team of CIA operatives, aimed to provide intelligence, logistical support, and coordination to the Northern Alliance forces that were already engaged in combat against the Taliban regime. This assistance laid the groundwork for the larger U.S.-led invasion that began in October 2001.
Journalist Olivia Gazis recently received a rare glimpse into that initial operation, describing how the CIA officers worked closely with Northern Alliance commanders to organize supplies and plan joint actions. Her account offers a behind‑the‑scenes look at the early days of the U.S. covert effort in Afghanistan.
The Northern Alliance, a coalition of ethnic Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara fighters, had been resisting Taliban rule since the late 1990s. By aligning with the CIA, the group gained access to advanced communications, weapons, and strategic guidance that amplified its capacity to challenge the Taliban and create openings for subsequent U.S. air strikes.
Marking a quarter‑century since those first covert steps, analysts note that the CIA’s early involvement was a pivotal factor in the rapid collapse of Taliban control in many parts of Afghanistan during the initial phase of the war. The anniversary serves as a reminder of the clandestine origins of a conflict that would become the longest in U.S. history.
<small>Source: CBS News — read the original story there.</small>