{{short description|Public holiday in Afghanistan}} {{distinguish|text=Victory Day}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox holiday | holiday_name = Departure Day | type = national | image = The last American Soldier to leave Afghanistan (cropped).jpg | imagesize = | alt = | caption = 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers depart during the 2021 Kabul airlift. | nickname = | observedby = {{flag|Afghanistan}} | litcolor = | longtype = | significance = Celebrates the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan | celebrations = | observances = | date = 31 August | scheduling = same day each year | duration = 1 day | frequency = Annual | firsttime = 31 August 2022 | lasttime = | startedby = Taliban | relatedto = Victory Day }}
'''Departure Day''' ({{langx|ps|د وتلو ورځ|da watlo warz}})<ref name="NDTV">{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/taliban-declares-national-holiday-on-august-31-to-mark-withdrawal-of-us-army-4133813|title=Taliban Declares National Holiday on August 31 to Mark Withdrawal of US Army|language=en|date=19 June 2023|access-date=18 August 2025|work=NDTV World}}</ref> is a national holiday in Afghanistan that celebrates the 2021 withdrawal of United States troops from the country. The Taliban declared 31 August to be a public holiday in 2022 and later a national holiday in 2023. Departure Day is celebrated half a month after the similar Victory Day holiday on 15 August that celebrates the Taliban's 2021 capture of Kabul.<ref name="Foschini">{{cite web|url=https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/reports/context-culture/extensive-but-not-inclusive-afghanistans-growing-list-of-national-holidays/|title=Extensive But Not Inclusive: Afghanistan's Growing List of National Holidays|language=en|date=30 August 2023|access-date=18 August 2025|work=Afghanistan Analysts|first1=Fabrizio|last1=Foschini}}</ref>
== Background ==
From 2001 to 2021, the United States had soldiers deployed in Afghanistan fighting against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.<ref name="AJ">{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/31/afghanistans-taliban-mark-anniversary-of-us-led-force-withdrawal|title=Afghanistan's Taliban Mark Anniversary of US-Led Force Withdrawal|language=en|date=31 August 2022|access-date=18 August 2025|work=Al Jazeera English}}</ref> In 2020, the United States began the process of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/2/29/afghanistans-taliban-us-sign-agreement-aimed-at-ending-war|title=Afghanistan's Taliban, US Sign Agreement Aimed at Ending War|language=en|date=29 February 2020|access-date=18 August 2025|work=Al Jazeera English}}</ref> a process it completed at 11:59 p.m. local time on 30 August 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/30/politics/us-military-withdraws-afghanistan/index.html|title=The Last US Military Planes Have Left Afghanistan, Marking the End of the United States' Longest War|language=en|date=31 August 2025|access-date=18 August 2025|work=CNN|first1=Nicole|last1=Gaouette|first2=Jennifer|last2=Hansler|first3=Barbara|last3=Starr|first4=Oren|last4=Liebermann}}</ref> The last months of the withdrawal coincided with a military offensive by the Taliban that saw it regain power in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-afghanistan-taliban-5934ef05b0094d0189b5d900d2380179|title=Biden Team Surprised by Rapid Taliban Gains in Afghanistan|language=en|date=15 August 2021|access-date=18 August 2025|work=Associated Press|first1=Zeke|last1=Miller|first2=Jonathan|last2=Lemire|first3=Josh|last3=Boak|location=Washington, D.C., United States}}</ref> The Taliban celebrated the American withdrawal the following day, 31 August.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/31/taliban-afghanistan-us-withdrawal/|title=In Kabul, Celebration and Dread the Day After U.S. Troops Withdraw|language=en|date=31 August 2021|access-date=18 August 2025|newspaper=The Washington Post|first1=Susannah|last1=George|location=Kabul, Afghanistan|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
== History ==
On 30 August 2022, the Taliban declared that 31 August would be celebrated as a public holiday.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://amu.tv/16088/|title=Taliban Announces Public Holiday to Mark US Forces Withdrawal|language=en|date=30 August 2022|access-date=18 August 2025|work=Amu Television}}</ref> The Taliban celebrated the first anniversary of the withdrawal, marking "freedom from American occupation",<ref name="EFE">{{cite web|url=https://efe.com/en/culture/2023-08-31/afghanistan-marks-2nd-anniversary-of-us-withdrawal-with-silence/|title=Afghanistan Marks 2nd Anniversary of US Withdrawal with Silence|language=en|date=31 August 2023|access-date=18 August 2025|work=EFE|location=Kabul, Afghanistan}}</ref> with a military parade in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city.<ref name="AJ" /> Taliban fighters also waved the group's flag, shot celebratory gunfire and fireworks, and chanted "Death to America! Death to occupation! Long life freedom!" in front of the closed American embassy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20220831-taliban-celebrate-anniversary-of-foreign-troop-withdrawal-from-afghanistan|title=Taliban Celebrate Anniversary of Foreign Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan|language=en|date=31 August 2022|access-date=18 August 2025|work=France 24}}</ref>
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs briefly suspended Departure Day's celebration on 9 January 2023 as it was deemed similar to the Victory Day holiday celebrated on 15 August.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rudabe.org/archives/6147|title=The Taliban Group No Longer Celebrates the Day of the Withdrawal of American Troops|language=en|date=9 January 2023|access-date=18 August 2025|work=Rudabe}}</ref> The Taliban government restored Departure Day's status as a national holiday on 17 June.<ref name="NDTV" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/afghanistan-declares-aug-31-as-national-holiday-to-commemorate-us-troop-withdrawal-12754892.html|title=Afghanistan Declares Aug 31 as National Holiday to Commemorate US Troop Withdrawal|language=en|date=18 June 2023|access-date=18 August 2025|work=First Post}}</ref> In August 2023, Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada told the government to not celebrate that year's Departure Day resulting in no official celebration, but some civilians continued to celebrate the holiday in an unofficial capacity.<ref name="EFE" />
== See also ==
{{Portal|Afghanistan}}
* Afghan Independence Day, celebrated on 19 August commemorating the end of the Third Anglo-Afghan War<ref name="Foschini" />
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:August observances Category:Public holidays in Afghanistan