Both men previously testified to the Senate armed services committee in September 2021.

At that hearing, their testimonies undercut a claim that President Joe Biden had made.

Biden had insisted there were no generals urging him to keep some US troops in Afghanistan to prevent a Taliban takeover. But both Gen Milley and Gen McKenzie said they thought those troops were needed and, at one point, the latter said he told the president as much.

Both generals also firmly stated that - speaking then, in September 2021 - al-Qaeda was still present in Afghanistan. This directly contradicted Biden's earlier statement that the terrorist organisation had been eradicated.

And in an interview with ABC News, external in 2023, Milley said he had “lots of regrets” about how the conflict ended, saying “in a broader sense, the war was lost”.

Image source, Getty Images

Gen Mark Milley was President Joe Biden's top military adviser - the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the committee of the eight highest-ranking military officials) - before he retired last year.

He was not part of the chain of command with the military and did not order US forces, but he was the link between the White House and the Pentagon.

Gen Kenneth McKenzie was head of US Central Command until his retirement in 2022.

That job meant he oversaw all military operations in an area of 21 countries spanning the Middle East and central Asia.

He oversaw the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Phil McCausland
US reporter

Image source, Reuters

While the disastrous US withdrawal occurred under President Joe Biden, the terms were first negotiated with the Taliban by former President Donald Trump’s team.

Both administrations were blamed for the catastrophic defeat of Afghan forces in a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

The congressionally mandated report found that the “collapse in August 2021 was the decision by two US presidents to withdraw US military and contractors from Afghanistan, while Afghan forces remained unable to sustain themselves”.

The Trump administration negotiated the deal with the Taliban in 2020, and included little input from the Afghan government. It also decreased support for offensive operations in Afghanistan, forcing Afghan forces to fall back to defensive positions.

When Trump left the White House, Biden led the withdrawal and followed the terms of the agreement.

It did have an escape clause that allowed the US to nix the deal if Afghan peace talks failed.

Renegotiating would have been difficult and left the US with little leverage, however, particularly since Biden also wanted to bring American troops home.

Image source, Getty Images

US troops withdraw: In May and June 2021, US troops withdraw from Afghanistan, as agreed under a deal Trump struck with the Taliban in 2020.

Fighting surges: With less US troops there to support the Afghan army, the Taliban begins seizing swathes of territory.

Afghan forces collapse: In August, the Afghan security forces largely collapsed, as they ran out of ammunition in many areas.

People flee to Kabul: By mid-August, tens of thousands of people were desperate to escape the Taliban and were heading to the capital Kabul. Elsewhere, the Taliban were killing male family members who had worked for the security forces, and re-imposing restrictions on women.

Taliban takes over Kabul, president flees country: Kabul is the last city to fall to the Taliban.

Kabul airport attack: Some 170 civilians and 13 US soldiers are killed in a bombing at the packed Kabul Airport as people try to flee. The Islamic State group were thought to be responsible.

US drone strike kills civilians: One of the US military's final acts in Afghanistan was a drone strike targeting a suicide bomber, but it killed 10 innocent people.

Last US soldier leaves Afghanistan: On 20 August, the last soldier left, ending America’s longest war.

Image source, Getty Images

The way the US handled the withdrawal of troops - and its operation to evacuate thousands of Afghans who worked for the American military - has been the focus of much of the criticism.

After US troops began to leave in June 2021, the Taliban made a rapid comeback. Their forces stormed across the country in 10 days.

Some say the US should have foreseen what the Taliban would do. But others argue the speed of the Taliban's takeover could not have been anticipated.

When the Taliban seized control of the entire country and the Afghan government collapsed, there were desperate scenes at Kabul airport as huge crowds tried to flee the Taliban - a hard-line Islamist group.

As people crowded at the airport hoping to be evacuated, an attack at the airport by two suicide bombers killed 170 Afghans and 13 US soldiers.

Days later, the US carried out a drone strike in Kabul. Officials said it had targeted a suicide bomber, only to admit that the missile had killed 10 civilians, including seven children.

Image source, Getty Images

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of today’s hearing on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

The former chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Mark Milley, and former commander of US Central Command, Gen Kenneth F. McKenzie will give evidence to the House Committee of Foreign Affairs at 13:00 ET (17:00 GMT).

Both generals have testified in hearings before, but this will be the first time since they retired.

It’s possible they may be more candid witnesses this time around.The hearing will be led by House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul, a Republican lawmaker from Texas.

Republicans have heavily criticised how the US withdrew from Afghanistan, with questions over how the Taliban was able to seize control of the country at such speed.

Republicans blame US President Joe Biden, but Biden and the Democrats say Donald Trump’s administration was to blame for striking the deal that led to the US withdrawing troops.