On August 15, just hours after the capture of Kabul, the image of the interior of an American C-17 filled with passengers seated on the ground traveled around the world.
Symbol of the chaotic evacuation of the city, this photo will go down in the annals as the illustration of a major rout for the United States.
It was also aboard a C-17 that this painful and sometimes surreal chapter ended.
On Monday evening, August 30, the last American plane left the tarmac at Kabul airport, a few hours ahead of the deadline, leaving behind 20 years of war against the Taliban and 2,400 soldiers killed in action.
Read also August 31, 2021: America fades before the Taliban
From this moment, another image will remain: that, captured in night vision, of the ultimate American soldier to set foot on Afghan soil, just before boarding the transport plane.
Helmet, weapon in hand, face closed and head bowed, leaving behind him the dimly lit hangars of the airport, Major-General Christopher Donahue alone seems to reflect the resignation of the powerful United States Army.
His loneliness too.
"
The last American soldier to leave Afghanistan: Major-General Chris Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, embarks a US Air Force C-17 on August 30, 2021, ending the mission of the States
"United
in Kabul,
" the Pentagon laconically tweeted, sharing the historic photo.
General Donahue, symbol of a fiasco
A few hours later, the 18th American Airborne Corps, to which it belongs, hailed "
the courage, discipline and empathy
" of its troops, during a mission "
incredibly complicated and filled with multiple difficulties
". Christopher Donahue is the last of the 775,000 American soldiers engaged in Afghanistan since 2001. Aged 52, he was deployed in the country this month, to help secure the airport, underlines the American media
USA Today
.
A former special advisor to the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, this two-star general has notably headed the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which coordinates the special forces units of the various branches of the US military.
During his long career, which began in 1992, he was deployed no less than 17 times in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, North Africa and Eastern Europe.
Read also The retreat from Kabul, a rout that could be avoided
By posting this poor-quality, green-tinted photo, the Pentagon has knowingly chosen to make it a symbol.
Major-General Donahue will thus go down in history as the latest illustration of a humiliating withdrawal, enacted on February 29, 2020 during the Doha agreements.
On this occasion, the Americans and the Taliban had agreed to a definitive departure of the United States army from Afghan territory.
The August 31 deadline was then imposed as an ultimatum by the insurgents.
At 11:59 p.m. on August 30, Washington ended the chaos sparked by the capture of Kabul on August 15.
In total, some 123,000 civilians have since been evacuated by the United States, in the greatest disorder.
"A great lesson for other invaders"
In Kabul, the festive atmosphere of the city contrasted with that of the airport, on the night of Monday to Tuesday.
A few minutes after the takeoff of the last C-17, the Taliban fired several fireworks and welcomed a victory which "
marks the history
" of their country.
Fireworks lit Kabul to celebrate the final departure of the Americans.
AFP
"
It is a great lesson for other invaders and for our future generation
", as well as "
for the world
", launched the spokesman of the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, as a final affront.
This morning, on the road to the airport, their fighters did not hide their joy, smiling and shaking hands with drivers and passengers, noted an AFP journalist.
The Islamists are now the sole masters of the country.
The Taliban took possession of the airport the moment the last American plane took off.
WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP