Washington: US military evacuated its military troops from Afghanistan on Monday after 20 years of brutal war which has been America’s longest. America’s last flight with US military troops takes off from Afghanistan.

After the American military troops departure the Talibans celebrating gunfire rang out in Kabul in the early hours of Tuesday and elated senior Taliban officials hailed the event as a watershed moment. The withdrawal came after the fraught final days of a frantic mission to evacuate tens of thousands of Americans and Afghans who had helped the US led war effort and which left scores of Afghans and 13 US troops dead in a suicide attack last week.

The withdrawal came before the end of August 31, the actual deadline set by President Joe Biden to call time on America’s longest war one that ultimately claimed the lives of more than 2,400 US service members.

US General Kenneth McKenzie said to the media on Monday, I’m here to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of the military mission to evacuate American citizens. Tonight’s withdrawal signifies both the end of the military component of the evacuation but also the end of the nearly 20-year mission that began in Afghanistan shortly after September 11th, 2001. The final flight left at 1929 GMT Monday just before the start of Tuesday in Kabul, he said. Biden said he would address the nation on Tuesday in Washington.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan had gained full independence with the US withdrawal and Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban official, said he was proud to witness these historic moments.