Battle of Mazari Sharif

The fall of Mazar-e-Sharif was the result of the first major offensive of the Afghanistan War. U.S. Army Special Forces and aerial bombardment accompanied a push into the city of Mazari Sharif in the Balkh Province by the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan ("Northern Alliance"), resulting in the withdrawal of Taliban forces who had held the city since 1998. The fall of the city proved to be a "major shock", since the United States Central Command had originally believed that the city would remain in Taliban hands well into the following year, and any potential battle would be "a very slow advance". After outlying villages fell, and an intensive aerial bombardment around the city, the Taliban withdrew from the city. As...