[8] The intensity of the combat faced by participating countries varied greatly, with the U.S. sustaining the most casualties overall, while the British, Danish, Estonian, and Georgian forces suffered the most deaths for their size.

Under its ultimate aim of transitioning security responsibilities to Afghan forces, ISAF ceased combat operations and was disbanded in December 2014.

The initial ISAF headquarters (AISAF) was based on 3rd UK Mechanised Division, led at the time by Major General John McColl.

[10] Turkey assumed command of ISAF in June 2002 (Major General Hilmi Akin Zorlu, chief of Turkish Army Plans and Policy).

[25][26] General Freddy Padilla de Leon announced to CBS News that operators of Colombia's Special Forces Brigade were scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan in either August or September 2009.

ISAF Joint Command, in its final deployment provided by Headquarters XVIII Airborne Corps, ceased operations ahead of the end of the NATO combat mission on 8 December 2014.

On 19 October, the Dutch government decided to send more troops because of increasing attacks by suspected Taliban on their Task Force Uruzgan, making it difficult to complete the reconstruction work that they sought to accomplish.

[37] On 10 October 2008, during a news conference, after an informal meeting of NATO Defense Ministers in Budapest, Hungary, NATO Spokesman James Appathurai said:[38] ... about counter-narcotics, based on the request of the Afghan government, consistent with the appropriate U.N. Security Council Resolutions, under the existing operational plan, ISAF can act in concert with the Afghans against facilities and facilitators supporting the insurgency, subject to the authorization of respective nations...

Consequently, effective from 2 July 2009, Coalition air and ground combat operations were ordered to take steps to minimize Afghan civilian casualties in accordance with a tactical directive issued by General Stanley A. McChrystal, USA, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

While these diminished, in part due to the planned ending of combat operations on 31 December 2014, they continued to occur, albeit at a lower frequency.

In 2006, with the situation in Kandahar Province turned increasingly violent, the Canadian Forces participated in several operations and battles from the beginning of the war in Afghanistan in 2001.

Also, four weather forecast specialists and two air traffic controllers were part of the Czech contingent deployed to Kabul International Airport.

A third unit was sent to Afghanistan at the end of April 2007 and involved 350 members of the Czech Military Police Special Operations Group, who were attached to British forces in the Southern Helmand province.

A fourth unit was deployed in July 2008 and was composed of 63 troops who were in charge of force protection at Dutch FOB Hadrain in Uruzgan Province.

On 26 February 2008 it was reported that Paris would deploy troops to the east to free up American soldiers, who would then be able to assist Canadian forces in Kandahar.

The task of the German forces was to assist the Afghan government with security and reconstruction in the four northern provinces of Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan and Badakhshan.

The mandate issued by the Bundestag does not allow the Bundeswehr to take part in combat operations against the Taliban insurgency in the south and east of Afghanistan, other than in exceptional circumstances.

However, German troops together with allied forces of Regional Command North conducted their combat operations in northern and northeast Afghanistan, inflicting as many as 650 casualties upon insurgents.

[81][82] ΕΛΔΑΦ was established as a Unit at the headquarters of the 71st Brigade on January 14, 2002, in the context of Greece's participation in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

In June 2005, the mission was renamed ΤΕΣΑΦ (Afghanistan Special Forces Battalion) and in conjunction with the 299 ΚΙΧΝΕ ( Mobile Army Surgical Hospital), they formed the ΕΛΔΑΦ-2.

[83] The Hungarian infantry unit was situated in Kabul, however, on 1 October 2006, Hungary requisitioned its forces and took over responsibility from the Dutch for the Provincial Reconstruction Team in the town of Pul‑e Khumri, the capital of Baghlan province.

Although the mandate issued by the Parliament of Italy does not allow Italian forces to take part in the battle against the Taliban insurgency in the south and east of Afghanistan, other than in exceptional circumstances, the former Italian Minister of Defense Ignazio La Russa has officially stated in July 2008 that such combat activities have indeed taken place over the last year in the Farah area.

The Netherlands deployed aircraft as part of the European Participating Air Force (EPAF) in support of ground operations in Afghanistan.

[89] Norwegian troops are divided between Meymaneh in Faryab province where they lead a Provincial Reconstruction Team, and Mazar-i-Sharif, where they operate alongside Swedish forces.

[90] Decisions were made to reinforce the Norwegian contribution with 150 special forces, an aeromedical detachment of three Bell 412 helicopters and around 60 personnel from 339 Squadron to be based at Camp Meymaneh for 18 months from 1 April 2008,[91][92] and 50 troops tasked with training Afghan soldiers.

A military health detachment composed of the three branches of the Armed Forces remained in Kabul for three months in a British ISAF campaign hospital.

In May 2004, Portugal became involved with a C‑130 Detachment and supporting staff of the Portuguese Air Force, as meteorologists, firefighters, and drivers, based at Kabul International Airport (KAIA).

In September 2011, 20 soldiers of 5th Special Forces Regiment were deployed to Afghanistan to help with mentoring and training of Afghan National Police personnel.

[103] Slovenian troops (including two civilians – CIMIC programme) perform OMLT (mentoring an Infantry Battalion in Bala Boluk and joint mentoring with Italian army of a Combat Support Battalion in Herat) and PRT tasks;[104] and also placing some commanding positions in Regional Command West and ISAF HQ.

In 2006, the situation in the north of Helmand turned increasingly violent, with British troops involved in fierce firefights against the Taliban and anti-coalition militia, particularly in the towns of Sangin, Musa Qala, Kajaki and Nawzad.