▁who ▁were ▁the ▁main ▁suspect s ▁of ▁the ▁September ▁ 1 1 ▁attacks . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁fought ▁the ▁Tal ib an ▁from ▁the ▁air ▁and ▁provided ▁support ▁to ▁Northern ▁Alliance ▁ground ▁troops , ▁who ▁successfully ▁drove ▁the ▁Tal ib an ▁away ▁from ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁by ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁The ▁invasion ▁also ▁marked ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ' s ▁War ▁on ▁T error . ▁ ▁The ▁War ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁( 2 0 0 1 – present ) ▁is ▁the ▁continuous ▁inc umb ent ▁war ▁in ▁Afghan istan , ▁where ▁the ▁main ▁conflict ▁consists ▁of ▁Afghan ▁Army ▁troops , ▁back ed ▁by ▁additional ▁United ▁States ▁troops , ▁fighting ▁against ▁ins urg ents ▁of ▁the ▁Tal ib an , ▁and ▁later ▁also ▁IS IS . ▁NAT O ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁involved ▁in ▁this ▁war . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁estimated ▁that ▁ 1 , 4 0 5 , 1 1 1 ▁to ▁ 2 , 0 8 4 , 4 6 8 ▁lives ▁have ▁been ▁lost ▁since ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁conflict . ▁ ▁R ise ▁and ▁fall ▁of ▁commun ism ▁ ▁P rel ude ▁▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Afghan istan ▁experienced ▁a ▁length y ▁period ▁of ▁peace ▁and ▁relative ▁stability . ▁It ▁was ▁ruled ▁as ▁a ▁mon archy ▁by ▁King ▁Z ah ir ▁Shah , ▁who ▁belonged ▁to ▁the ▁Afghan ▁Mus ah ib an ▁Bar ak za i ▁dynast y . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9