KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The U.S. Congress has extended the mandate of the Afghanistan War Commission for another year, giving the independent panel more time to complete its review of the two-decade conflict and prepare its final report.
In a statement, the commission said that Congressional leaders from the relevant committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, representing both political parties, approved the extension through the process outlined in the legislation that established the commission.
The commission’s final report is now due in August 2027, one year later than previously scheduled, as the panel continues its research and assessment of the conflict.
“We thank the Chairs and Ranking Members of our appointing and appropriate committees for approving this extension,” the commission said.
The additional time will enable the commission to deepen its investigation, complete critical research and ensure that its final report includes evidence-based findings and recommendations, according to the statement.
The panel said it would continue working with Congress and the executive branch in the coming months to complete its assessment and help ensure that lessons from the Afghanistan war are considered by future generations of U.S. leaders.
The Afghanistan War Commission was established by Congress in December 2021 as an independent, bipartisan body tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.
Its mandate covers key decisions made throughout the conflict, including decisions taken before the U.S.-led war began in 2001. The commission is also examining the factors that shaped U.S. policy and military operations during the two-decade conflict.
The panel is expected to identify lessons from the war and make recommendations on how the United States can avoid repeating similar mistakes in future military and foreign policy decisions.
U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan began in October 2001 following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. It ended with the withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces in August 2021, which was followed by the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return to power.
