US troops in Afghanistan mark 9/11 after 10 years of war

From giant hubs such as Bagram in the north and Kandahar in the south to dusty remote outposts on the frontline against the Taliban,US soldiers paused in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 people who died a decade ago.

The United States invaded Afghanistan a month after 9/11,toppling the Taliban who had sheltered Al-Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden.

But the Taliban later rebuilt and are now leading a bloody insurgency.

At Forward Operating Base Fenty in the eastern city of Jalalabad,hundreds of troops rose at dawn to attend a ceremony of prayers and memories,as the US flag and brigade colours flew at half mast.

“It started here and it’s gonna finish here alright,” Command Sergeant Major Andrew Spano told the crowd,reading out the names of US troops killed in the area during the deployment.

He requested a moment of silence later in the day to mark the time the first plane hit the World Trade Centre,”and brought us to this moment we’re at right now. Since that moment,our lives changed forever,and we’ll never forget.”

The ceremony was followed by a five-kilometre memorial run around the base.

One of those who joined the run,Staff Sergeant Terry Staber,said: “I’ll probably work like a regular day but it’ll still be in my mind: where I was at,not knowing where my sister was at and this big lump in my throat knowing this is gonna be big… We’re gonna be in this for a long time.”

At the US embassy in Kabul,General John Allen,the US commander of foreign troops in Afghanistan,and Ambassador Ryan Crocker joined dozens of embassy staff and troops for a ceremony which included the lowering of the American flag,prayers and speeches.

Allen told the event that while the last 10 years of war had been tough,the war effort was on the right path.

“The last 10 years have not been easy,both the international coalition and Afghans have endured much hardship,” he said.