In the shadow of horrific terrorist attacks in the United States on 9/11 (11 September 2001), then US President George W Bush declared a ‘war on terror’, marking the beginning of the War in Afghanistan.
Days later, the Australian Government invoked the ANZUS treaty, pledging support, committing to deploy the ADF to join US and other coalition forces in Afghanistan. Each year, we mark our nation's contribution to the Afghanistan War on 11 October, the anniversary of the formation of Operation Slipper which was the first of the ADF’s declared missions for the Afghanistan War.
The ADF contingent, made up of personnel from all 3 services in the ADF, the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force, formed a part of the US and then NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from 2001 to 2014, and the NATO led Resolute Support Mission from 2015 to 2021.
Australian forces played their part in a multinational attempt to bring security to Afghanistan, and stabilise the wider region, quash terrorist activity and provide safe conditions for democratic governance and reconstruction.
ADF personnel who served in the Afghanistan War deployed in a wide array of roles and missions, including warlike service in Operation Slipper (2001-14), Operation Highroad (2015-21) and the Kabul airlift (August 2021), and non-warlike service in support, in Operation Manitou (naval and air maritime operations in the Persian Gulf) and Operation Accordion (headquarters/logistic support in Gulf state bases) from 2014 to 2021.
Today, we recognise the approximately 40,000 Australians who served in the Afghanistan War. We honour the 47 who are named on the nation’s Roll of Honour as having lost their lives and all other casualties of this war. We remember and reflect on their professionalism, strength of character, selflessness and fortitude. We acknowledge that many of our veterans have encountered personal struggles related to their service and we thank their families for the vital role they play in supporting them.
Lest we forget.
Australian Army soldiers from Special Operations Task Group prepare to be extracted by a US Army Black Hawk helicopter alongside their Afghan National Security Force partners after completing the clearance of a cave system in Uruzgan province, southern Afghanistan, in 2012.
Image courtesy of the Australian Department of Defence.