In June, I returned to Afghanistan after a book-related absence of a couple years. I was planning to cover the American withdrawal, but like nearly everyone else, I didn’t expect the government to collapse so swiftly, even before the last foreign troops were out. Things began to happen fast, and after two hectic months, the Taliban were at the capital’s gates. Along with some freelancer friends, including the photographer Jim Huylebroek, I stayed behind to report on the evacuation and its aftermath. For a while, I was the New York Times’ only reporter on the ground. I finally left for the US in November.
Here are some of the stories from the busiest and most chaotic five months of my life. The first is a very long (20k words) cover story for the Times Magazine, a narrative account of the summer. The rest are articles I wrote for the newspaper, along with some related episodes for the Daily podcast. The highlight is our investigation into the US military’s botched drone strike, which killed ten innocent people, including seven children. Jim and I were at the scene of the strike early the next morning, and the Times’ coverage helped force the military to acknowledge its mistake.
Inside the Fall of Kabul, December 10
Times Investigation: In U.S. Drone Strike, Evidence Suggests No ISIS Bomb, September 10
Video: How a U.S Drone Strike Killed the Wrong Person, September 10
The Daily: A Righteous Strike, September 21
Afghan Family Says Errant U.S. Missile Killed 10, Including 7 Children, August 30
After Quick Victory, Taliban Find Governing Is Harder, September 1
The Daily: How Will the Taliban Rule This Time? September 7
After Airport Bombing, an Afghan Family Buries a Father, and Hope, August 27