Meet the last US soldier to leave Taliban-controlled Afghanistan after 20 years of war

The United States on Monday completed the withdrawal process of its troops from Afghanistan, thus ending a war which was started by the US two decades ago. The irony is that the 20-year-war started and ended with the Taliban in power. 

Major General Christopher Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, based in Fort Bragg, N.C., was the last US soldier to leave Afghanistan as US troops boarded a C-17 aircraft at the Kabul airport.

A photo of Donahue was tweeted by Pentagon recognizing Donahue as the last soldier to leave Afghanistan after the conclusion of 20-year-old war.

In the photo, Donahue can be seen carrying his firearm walking alone with a Kabul airport hangar behind him. The photo is shot through a night-vision lens.

The last American soldier to leave Afghanistan: Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue, commanding general of the @82ndABNDiv, @18airbornecorps boards an @usairforce C-17 on August 30th, 2021, ending the U.S. mission in Kabul. pic.twitter.com/j5fPx4iv6a

— Department of Defense (@DeptofDefense) August 30, 2021

It is learnt that Donahue was deployed to Afghanistan few days ago to help the US troops in securing the Kabul airport as the US drew nearer to August 31 deadline to leave Afghanistan. 

Donahue is a former special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon and he has also served as the commander of special operations joint task force-Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

After the completion of US troops withdrawal, celebratory gunfire rang out in Kabul early on Tuesday, as Taliban spokesperson Qari Yusuf said, "The last US soldier has left Kabul airport and our country gained complete independence," Al Jazeera reported.