Embassy of the United States, Kabul
The United States first established a legation in Kabul during 1942. William H. Hornibrook served as the initial minister to this new diplomatic post. The mission operated concurrently with the legation to Iran until May 1948 when officials elevated it to full embassy status. Louis G. Dreyfus became the first U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan after serving as Minister Plenipotentiary from 1941 to 1942. He held office from 1949 through 1951.
Tragedy struck the mission in 1979 when Adolph Dubs was kidnapped and assassinated under mysterious circumstances. This event marked a dark chapter for early American diplomacy in the region. The embassy closed its doors permanently in 1989 before the onset of the long civil war that followed. A liaison office opened later in late 2001 after Operation Enduring Freedom began. Officials reopened the embassy fully in 2002.
Heavily armed Taliban insurgents wearing suicide vests attacked various buildings in Kabul on the 13th of September 2011. At least seven people died while nineteen others sustained injuries during the strike. The United States Embassy stood among the targeted structures. Several Afghan visa applicants waiting inside the compound suffered wounds but no embassy personnel were hurt.
Another deadly attack occurred at an annex to the embassy later that same month. Taliban elements launched coordinated attacks against the facility on the 15th of April 2012 as part of a nationwide series of assaults. Afghan security forces successfully defeated this second assault. Gen John Allen stated he felt enormously proud of the response mounted by local troops. He emphasized that no one underestimated the seriousness of these events.
A rocket exploded near the embassy on the 11th of September 2019 marking an attack on the eighteenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. By the 22nd of June 2021, the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had infected 159 embassy workers. Medical evacuations followed and at least one death occurred within the staff ranks.
The chancery building on Great Massoud Road in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood cost nearly $800 million to construct. U.S. President George W. Bush joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai for an inauguration ceremony in early 2006 when construction finally concluded. The State Department initially planned to spend another $500 million to expand the premises further.
Officials scheduled completion of the expansion project for 2014 but later extended the deadline to July 2016. The final cost of the entire chancery reached $792 million. Delays plagued the project throughout its development under the Bush administration. The massive structure stood as a symbol of American commitment despite rising security threats in the region.
President Biden announced his intention to withdraw all regular US troops from Afghanistan by the 11th of September 2021 on the 14th of April 2021. The State Department ordered employees at the Kabul embassy to leave if their function could be performed elsewhere on the 27th of April 2021. Approximately 650 Marines remained to protect diplomats and the embassy indefinitely after troop withdrawal began.
Navy Rear Adm. Peter Vasely led this 650-strong security mission with support from Defense Security Cooperation Management Office Afghanistan in Qatar. On August 7, the embassy issued a security alert urging all Americans to immediately leave due to increased threats from the ongoing Taliban offensive. Chargé d'Affaires Ross Wilson fled the embassy for heavily secure Hamid Karzai Airport around 7:50 pm local time on August 15.
Taliban forces entered Kabul shortly before noon on that same day while most fighters remained on the city's outskirts. President Ashraf Ghani had fled to Tajikistan or Uzbekistan just prior. Kabul fell without a fight as Islamic Republic of Afghanistan forces withdrew. Military helicopters made repeat trips to ferry U.S. diplomats and officials from the embassy to the airport.
Soldiers and Marines enhanced security of Hamid Karzai International Airport for use by evacuating diplomatic staff and Special Immigrant Visa recipients on the 14th of August 2021. Military evacuation planes began flying out daily while the number of evacuated SIV recipients increased significantly. President Biden deployed an additional 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne to provide further security.
Gunfire was reported at the airport around 8:10 pm local time on August 15. U.S. citizens in the area took shelter as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized deployment of 1,000 additional troops. Three Afghans died after clinging to the hulls of moving planes and falling during the chaos. A total of seven people perished in the crowd overrunning the airport.
The Afghan Civil Aviation Authority suspended civilian flights in and out of Kabul due to airfield crowding. From 6:15 PM to 7:00 PM local time, the U.S. halted all flights because of overcrowding. Taliban forces attempted to push back surging crowds but could not maintain order. By noon, approximately 3,000 of the 6,000 U.S. troops sent to the airport had arrived.
All embassy staff were reportedly evacuated by the 28th of August 2021. Wilson left on the last US military flight out of the country at 23:59 local time on August 30. No protecting power in Afghanistan was immediately designated by the United States following the evacuation.
On August 31, the embassy suspended operations in Afghanistan and transferred limited operations to Doha, Qatar. Deputy Chief of Mission Ian McCary took over as Chargé d'Affaires when the embassy relocated. The U.S. Interests Section at the Embassy of Qatar in Kabul opened on the 31st of December 2021 to serve as the protecting power for the U.S. in Afghanistan.
Under this arrangement, the interests section operates out of the former U.S. Embassy compound while Qatar assumes responsibility for the facility. As of August 2022, one year after the fall of Kabul, the embassy compound remained in a state of lockdown with no person or entity using it.
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Common questions
When did the United States first establish a legation in Kabul?
The United States established its first legation in Kabul during 1942. William H. Hornibrook served as the initial minister to this diplomatic post.
Who was the first U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan after the legation became an embassy?
Louis G. Dreyfus became the first U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan after serving as Minister Plenipotentiary from 1941 to 1942. He held office from 1949 through 1951 following the elevation of the mission to full embassy status in May 1948.
What happened at the Embassy of the United States, Kabul on the 13th of September 2011?
Heavily armed Taliban insurgents wearing suicide vests attacked various buildings in Kabul including the United States Embassy on the 13th of September 2011. At least seven people died while nineteen others sustained injuries during the strike and several Afghan visa applicants waiting inside the compound suffered wounds.
How much did the chancery building on Great Massoud Road cost to construct?
The final cost of the entire chancery reached $792 million despite initial plans for another $500 million expansion. U.S. President George W. Bush joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai for an inauguration ceremony in early 2006 when construction finally concluded.
When did the United States suspend operations at the Embassy of the United States, Kabul?
On August 31, the embassy suspended operations in Afghanistan and transferred limited operations to Doha, Qatar. The U.S. Interests Section at the Embassy of Qatar in Kabul opened on the 31st of December 2021 to serve as the protecting power for the U.S. in Afghanistan.