Afghan couple reflects on 25 years since U.S. invasion

StoryCorps piece covers post-invasion years and U.S. withdrawal

NPR on October 9, 2026, published a StoryCorps segment featuring an Afghan couple reflecting on 25 years since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. The piece, credited to Jey Born, was released the week of the 25th anniversary of the conflict.

The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan began in October 2001, 25 years before the segment’s publication. The couple shared their account of the experience that followed the invasion, according to NPR.

According to NPR, the couple’s account also covers the experience of the eventual U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, alongside the broader period following the invasion. StoryCorps is the project through which the couple offered their account.

NPR’s standard disclosure at the foot of the segment notes that the network does not accept money for coverage or interviews, and that anyone making such an offer does not represent the network.