this is "nightline." >> tonight, on dangerous ground. inside afghanistan and the explosive front lines of america's longest war. our team with rare access. >> the troops have just moved into a whole series of compounds, in other words houses, they're trying to clear -- >> under constant thread of ieds. >> how many ieds are out there? >> untold number. >> face-to-face with the taliban at one of the most infamous prisons on the planet. a young girl caught in the center of it fighting for the future of her country. god is a woman. ♪ god is a woman >> the everything on the table conversation with ariana grande and michael strahan and her "snl" fiance pete davidson, both

of them on the big love heading down the aisle. no tears left to cry, one of the first songs she recorded after the manchester bombing. surprising some listeners. first the "nightline 5." overwhelming air fresheners can send you running. try febreze one were. no aerosols, no heavy perfumes. spray and stay. febreze one. if you've been diagnosed with cancer, searching for answers may feel overwhelming. start your search with our teams of specialists at cancer treatment centers of america. the evolution of cancer care is here. learn more at cancercenter.com

good evening. thank you for joining us.

we begin on the front lines of america's longest war. exclusive access to u.s. special forces in afghanistan. those troops dodging gunfire and showers of shrapnel. senior foreign correspondent ian pannel inside the conflict with a crucial question, is peace possible? >> reporter: in an ancient land ravaged by centuries of war. where the line between life and death is dangerously thin. with every step, an american soldier -- >> we're reclearing and taking back the ground that was lost years ago -- >> reporter: -- leading his troops in a war on terror that seems without end. with every attack, a once-vanquished enemy is battling back. but despite the devastation and

despair, hope. a young girl fights for her future. and for millions of other innocent kids caught in the middle. this is afghanistan in 2018. the longest war in american history. and it's still raging. i've been covering conflicts in this country for nearly two decades. in the last few weeks alone, sons, daughters, soldiers, civilians, hundreds gunned down and blown up by the taliban. and what's more, isis has expanded into afghanistan too. we've been given exclusive access to u.s. special forces on the front lines. to protect their security.

>> when you guys are out here, some of the area, it's known isis has laid ieds in the area so stay behind us at all times, okay? >> reporter: the small team of green beret stationed here is led by patrol leader master sergeant brian. you're finding ieds or booby traps? what are the dangers for your buys? >> just about everything out here. >> how many ieds are out there? untold? >> untold number, yeah. >> reporter: their mission is to take back land that used to be controlled by isis. what you're looking at now is the u.s. military striking isis positions, isis tunnels, trying to degrade their capacity. but while they have air superiority, the truth is they still have to put troops on the ground to take the fight to the militants. next phase launches before dawn. master sergeant bryan leads his elite troops and afghanthgr

eration. med to the main base dismantle, get out of the vehicles, started a vantsing towards this cluster of houses this small village. >> i never like this part. >> no. >> they can see us coming. >> reporter: the ground is littered with bombs left by isis and the going is as slow as it is dangerous. every building, every room, every door could be rigged with explosives. >> the troops have just moved into a whole series of compounds, in other words houses, that they're trying to clear. they're coming across a number of ieds every time they go into some of these buildings so they've got to be super careful. they're also wary there could be isis fighters inside there. >> ied. >> there's more here as well. >> reporter: every man knows all too well that death stalks their every move. more than 2,300 american troops have died since the start of this war. many more injured.

>> ied. >> ied? where? let's see. yeah, that's empty, nothing in there. >> reporter: this time it's a false alarm. but the next one isn't. that wooden stick? >> that's the pressure plate. >> how common is it to come across this kind of device this. >> every time we come down in the valley, we've found them, so far. >> reporter: too dangerous to dismantle, they decide to blow it up instead. the charges are being laid. in seconds there's going to be a loud bang. >> that was a big one. whoo. >> you can hear the sound of some of the shrapnel coming down from the explosion there and the reaction from the guys tells me that that was obviously a very large charge that had been laid on the ground. let's go have a look and see

quite how big that bomb actually was. come in, have a look at the size of the crater. that would have caused a lot of damage. >> yes. >> casualties at least. >> yes. >> reporter: the people here driven out by isis. the troops bust now convince them it's safe to come home. >> what's up, little guy? got to feel sorry for the civilians here, caught in the middle of something they don't choose. >> i do, you know. they're trying to get back in here and establish security so they can come back in here and rebuild. >> reporter: these mountains have been a hideout for terrorists for years. osama bin laden led al qaeda and the 9/11 attacks from here. >> ours is a war against terrorism in general. >> reporter: troops deployed to gons afghanistan in 2001. three u.s. presidents promised victory here. >> we are winning the war on terror.

>> our longest war will be over. >> we will win. >> reporter: the war's climbed over 100,000 afghan lives. and this year has been the worst for civilian deaths. these exclusive pictures were taken for abc news from inside taliban territory. they now have control or influence over more than half the country, with their own government, police, courts. many of their fighters have died in battle. others are now on death row. >> heading into one of the main prisons in afghanistan today that houses 4,000 convicted terrorists. we're going here to try to talk to the taliban but the prison guards are worried, they've told us it's not safe inside. but the inmates seemed eager to meet us. were all these men in the taliban? this prisoner says they're defending their country and they won't stop until all foreign troops leave.

>> what would you like to say to the american people, who the fathers and mothers of soldiers who have been killed? >> we should fight. >> you won't stop? >> no. we will not stop the fight against american soldiers who are still here. >> if they left tomorrow, do you think there could be peace in afghanistan? >> yeah, yeah. >> reporter: although the pentagon stopped releasing the official number of troops in combat, it's estimated the american military force on the ground in afghanistan is still about 14,000 to 15,000 strong. four-star general john nicholson commands all u.s. and foreign troops here. we joined him high above the capital, kabul. you come here, you find out that the afghan people are fighting against our enemies as well, and they're willing to fight and die really in defense of us.

>> reporter: after 17 long, painful years, it's become clear to most that the military alone can't win this war. and that it might be time to try to make a deal with the very people who have been fighting all this time, the taliban. how would you feel about sitting down, talking to the taliban? >> we want to end this war. we want to end it on terms that protect our nation, our homeland, and provide a lower level of violence for the afghans. so if that were necessary, then absolutely. >> you wouldn't feel queasy about it? >> no, i think we want to end this war. >> reporter: since our trip abc learned of secret one-on-one talks between america and the taliban in the last few weeks. lot afghan people are desperate for a path to peace, there are also fears a deal would risk a return to the brutal rule of the taliban. so many would lose out. especially women and girls. 16-year-old fatima has known nothing but war her whole life.

every day she puts her life on the line just by going to school, by being a girl who dares to dream. you're very brave. are you ever worried for your own safety? you've been very outspoken. fatima is one of 6,000 students at this elite all-girls' school, partly funded by the u.s. there are many stereotypical images of what life is like for women and young girls in afghanistan. no access to education, staying at home, not able to work. let me show you something very, very different here. today more than one-third of afghanistan's girls are in education. but the dangers are real. do you think things are changing? for girls in afghanistan? >> it's little changes. >> the boys can do it anyway. the girl, they can't. >> reporter: fatima and these girls have overcome countless obstacles. they were catapulted onto the

world stage when their schoolmates made an historic trip to the united states, bringing back a medal for courage. do you think you are an inspiration to other young girls in afghanistan? >> reporter: she was welcomed home a hero. but in afghanistan, few can escape the reality of war. just days later, an isis suicide bomber attacked the local mosque, killing her dad. fatima honored her father during a recent speech at the oslo freedom forum. she says her dad used to tell her she should always stay strong.

for now, the girls who dream of peace and the u.s. soldiers who dream of home must hold on to some hope that america's longest war can really come to an end. for "nightline," i'm ian pannel reporting from kabul, afghanistan. >> our thanks to ian. next, ariana grande on her life and true love. the painful burden she and "snl" peefd dav pete davidson share. (laughs) make summer go right with ford, america's best-selling brand. and get our best deal of the summer: zero percent financing for sixty months on f-150. get zero percent financing for 60 months- plus $2,800 bonus cash

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♪ just keep breathing breathing breathing breathing ♪ ♪ breathing breathing breathing breathing ♪ that's ariana grande tonight in chicago from her american express sweetener sessions. the pop music powerhouse with close to 60 million twitter followers, tonight her wide-ranging conversation on life and live with michael strahan. >> reporter: it was the moment that brought down the house. ♪ >> reporter: ariana grande performing her hit song "god is a woman" at the mtv video music awards. an emotional high point after roller coaster year for the star with a new fiance -- >> pete davidson, thanks for existing, love you. >> reporter: and a new album. ♪ light is coming to give back everything the darkness stole ♪ >> reporter: she is known for her big vocals, hitting high notes in hits like "problem."

♪ and "into you." ♪ no stranger to success, but this time she's making a comeback. i want you to finish a sentence for me. this sentence is, ariana grande is? >> i don't know, man. living her best life. grateful. happy. >> reporter: a year ago, this kind of happiness didn't seem possible after her life changed in an instant. last may, a deadly blast rang out following the singer's manchester performance. a suicide bomber killed 22 and injured hundreds more. a lot of people thought you weren't going to perform again. >> yeah, i didn't think i was going to either. >> reporter: less than two weeks following the tragedy she was back center stage in manchester again. >> i love you with all my heart. >> reporter: for "one love manchester," a benefit concert she organized for the victims of

the bombing. >> i didn't think anyone was going to show up at my shows and they did. >> over 50,000 people. >> reporter: a moment of triumph after a dizzying year that brought her back to the studio. ♪ the powerful "no tears left to cry" an anthem to her experience. ♪ i just want to wake up >> reporter: now her most intimate album yet. "sweetener." this album is more personal to you? >> life happens, things happen. yeah, i felt very inspired this time. >> congratulations on it, by the way. i can barely look at you because i'm looking down at your finger. congratulations on your engagement. >> thank you, thank you so much. >> to the very talented, very funny pete davidson. >> reporter: the couple announcing their surpre engagement earlier this summer after just weeks of dating. how do you meet him on "snl," then i'm going to marry him? how do you do that? >> i overheard -- do you want to smoke some pot or something?

>> huh, let's smoke some crack, man. >> i'm good. >> i was joking. i decided he was so cute. the only thing we said to each other is just like, hi. and we just worked together. i was like, i'm going to marry that man. cut to three years later. he ticks every box. just gets better every day. >> reporter: both touched by tragedy. pete lost his father, an fdny firefighter in 9/11. has been open about his struggles with mental health, something ariana has been vocal about herself, breaking down in this beat 1 interview. >> mental health is so important. people don't pay enough mind to it. because we have things to do. >> how did you know pete was the one for you? >> i mean, just like a feeling, you know? that's so cheesy. people are always like, when you know, you know. you're like, oh, yeah, whatever, okay. >> reporter: the couple is obviously smitten. ♪ i want you in my life.

>> reporter: ariana including an ode to her fiance on the album titled "pete davidson." >> i just want to send to him a nice little love letter. >> and i will strike down upon thee -- >> reporter: also some help from pretty talented friends. >> you have "god is the woman." madonna as the voice of god. what made you choose madonna? >> she's paved the way for every female artist working today. everyone who is in the pop game right now is doing something that madonna probably did first. >> reporter: her latest, the culmination of an incredibly emotional year. there's one song on at the end of the album "get well soon." there's 40 seconds of silence at the end of the song. >> yeah. i wanted to honor the manchester victims. i wanted to make the length of the song 5:22, just as a little way to like celebrate and like

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finally tonight, the emotional accounts from the soccer team rescued from that thailand cave. abc's exclusive interview with those dozen young survivors and their coach, that's tomorrow on "nightline." we'll see you then. thanks for the company, america. good night.