A British incursion into Afghanistan ended in disaster in 1842 when an entire British army, while retreating back to India, was massacred. Only a single survivor made it back to British-held territory. It was assumed the Afghans let him live to tell the story of what had happened.
On January 6, 1842, the British began their withdrawal from Kabul. About 4,500 British troops and 12,000 civilians who had followed the British Army to Kabul left the city. The plan was to march to Jalalabad, about 90 miles away.
The Brits left Afghanistan right after that.
“Massacre of British Army in Afghanistan in 1842...Only a single survivor made it back...The Brits left Afghanistan right after that.” [SkyDancer, post 29]
Your information is incomplete. Also superficial.
Why?
Imperial British moves were not concluded after 1842. They went back in a number of years later. 1897, if memory serves: Winston Churchill tagged along, on extended leave from his cavalry regiment.
Your tone bears hints of intellectual dishonesty, implying that the British gave up because they suffered heavy losses. That’s more of American gambit, to judge by our cowardly withdrawal from Southeast Asia in the 1970s.