Khandakar, Afganistan

Kandahar is the second-largest city in Afghanistan, located in the south on the Arghandab River, serving as the capital of Kandahar Province. It is a major commercial hub, a conservative cultural center, and acts as the de facto seat of power for the Taliban, where their supreme leader is based. U.S. Marines played a significant role in Afghanistan, particularly in the southern region around Kandahar and Helmand province, from the beginning of the war in 2001 until the final withdrawal in 2021. Marines were the first ground troops in southern Afghanistan, establishing Forward Operating Base Rhino and taking control of Kandahar International Airport in December 2001.