POLITICS — April 20, 2026
Pentagon Says Afghanistan Withdrawal Review to Be Finalized in Coming Months
The Pentagon announced that its review of the 2021 U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan will be finalized in the coming months after examining over nine million documents and interviewing officials. The report aims to provide recommendations to prevent past mistakes from the operation that killed 13 troops amid the Taliban takeover, with responsibility shared between the Trump and Biden administrations.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Khaama Press — corroborated by Hasht-e Subh — 2 min read
The Pentagon has announced that the review of the United States' troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, which took place in August 2021, is expected to be finalized in the coming months.
This review was ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last year. According to officials, the panel has reviewed more than nine million documents from multiple agencies and conducted interviews with senior military and civilian officials.
The 2021 withdrawal was marked by a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. service members. The attack occurred as the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban took over the country.
The 2020 U.S.-Taliban agreement signed under then-President Donald Trump directly influenced the withdrawal timeline and decisions.
Previous reviews have assigned responsibility for the withdrawal outcome and Afghan government collapse to both the Trump and Biden administrations.
The final report will include findings and recommendations to avoid repeating past mistakes in future operations.
Read the original reporting at Khaama Press →
Reliability assessment
Both Hasht-e Subh and Khaama Press independently corroborate the core Pentagon announcement and specific details (document count, interviews, casualty figure, historical context) drawn from official statements and Stars and Stripes reporting; minor translation variances (e.g. 'Secretary of War') do not affect event confirmation.
The source language reads straight.
Independent web corroboration
A separate web search returned 8 matching reports. A selection:
- More thorough Pentagon review of Afghanistan pullout to be issued soon | Stars and Stripesstripes.com
A special panel’s investigation of the chaotic and deadly U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is nearly complete, with the Pentagon saying a final report is expected in the coming months.
The withdrawal of U.S. troops has been widely characterized by historians and military analysts as chaotic, despite the successful evacuation of more than 120,000 from Afghanistan.
A final report is expected to be presented to the Defense Secretary and released publicly in the coming months. ... The United States Department of Defense said a special review panel examining the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal has completed a ...
- Pentagon Completes Key Phase of Afghanistan Withdrawal Review, Interviews Senior Officialskabulnow.com
The withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 — negotiated under the 2020 Doha Agreement during Trump’s first administration and carried out under former President Joe Biden — ended America’s longest war but also triggered a rapid and ...
Across the newsrooms
Where reports agree
- Pentagon announcement that the Afghanistan withdrawal review will be finalized soon
- Panel created on orders of Pete Hegseth last year
- Review involved analysis of over 9 million documents and interviews with senior officials
- 13 US troops killed in Kabul airport suicide attack in August 2021
- 2020 Doha agreement with Taliban shaped the withdrawal process
- Both Trump and Biden administrations bear responsibility according to prior reviews
- Report aims to provide lessons to prevent future operational failures
Filed by 2 outlets
Khaama Press
Originating
Reported straight
Reported straight
Hasht-e Subh
Reported straight
Reported straight
Filed under
Politics — US Withdrawal, Pentagon Review, Pete Hegseth, Taliban Agreement, Kabul Airport Attack
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