Bilateral Security Agreement

The Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) between the United States and Afghanistan, signed in late September 2014, outlined a framework for security cooperation following the withdrawal of NATO combat troops. This agreement committed the U.S. to continued military support for the Afghan government. While the presence of foreign troops was unpopular, many Afghans feared a sudden withdrawal would lead to chaos. The BSA addressed the question of whether some U.S. and NATO forces would remain as trainers and advisors after 2014. The U.S. and NATO formally ended their combat mission on December 28, 2014, but a reduced force remained to train Afghan troops. The U.S. completed its withdrawal of the last remaining armed forces on August 30, 2021.12