How did the Taliban regain control of Afghanistan in 2021?

The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. troops. This withdrawal, initiated in 2020 and continuing into 2021, created a vacuum that the emboldened Taliban rapidly exploited. The group quickly took control of numerous districts and provincial capitals. Despite the Afghan armed forces being larger and better equipped, a lack of coordination and responsiveness allowed the Taliban to overrun the country. By mid-August 2021, the central government had collapsed, and the Taliban had captured nearly all of Afghanistan, including Kabul. The Taliban, originally emerging in the mid-1990s, had previously ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 before being ousted by U.S.-led forces.12