Insurgent group claims to control 85% of the country as the US accelerates final pullout, set to be completed by August 31

Zebulon Simentov endured Soviet invasion, civil war, Taliban rule and the US takeover, but now he says the dangers are too great and it is time to leave

US takes calculated risk that adversarial forces in war-torn country can still be countered and that he won’t be remembered as president who underestimated their resilience

President says the 2001 terror attacks can't justify the continued presence of soldiers in the country after 20 years of conflict

New administration defies Trump timetable, sets 20th anniversary of 2001 terrorist attacks as homecoming for 2,500 remaining soldiers

Zabulon Simantov, who tends to country's lone synagogue, fears US military’s promise to pull out will leave vacuum, likely to be filled by the Taliban

US intel agencies warn administration that pullback without a power-sharing deal could see Taliban regain control within a few years

At least 20 people injured when tanker explodes at crossing; many trucks still on fire in conflagration seen from space

At least 7 injured admitted to hospital from explosions powerful enough to be spotted by NASA satellites; cause remains unknown

Unlike his predecessors, the US president has not called Middle East leaders in his first days, likely indicating what his administration will focus on: Neighbors and NATO