The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of their return to power at a former U.S. airbase in Afghanistan on Wednesday, but without any mention of the country’s hardships or promises of hope for its beleaguered people.
Under blue skies and shining sunshine at Bagram, once the epicenter of America’s war to topple the Taliban and hunt down the al-Qaida perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks, members of the Taliban’s cabinet hailed achievements such as strengthening Islamic law and establishing a military system that brings “peace and security.”
The speech, addressed to an international audience, urged the return of those living abroad and for Western countries to engage and cooperate with the country’s leaders.
“The Islamic Emirate has resolved internal discord and expanded the scope of unity and cooperation in the country,” Deputy Prime Minister Maulvi Abdul Kabir said, borrowing a term the Taliban use to describe the government. “No one will be allowed to interfere in our internal affairs and Afghanistan’s territory will not be used against any country.”
None of the four speakers spoke about the challenges Afghans face in their daily lives.
Decades of conflict and insecurity have left millions of Afghans at risk of hunger and starvation, and unemployment is high.
The Taliban celebrate the third anniversary of their occupation of Afghanistan at Bagram Air Base in Bagram, Parwan province. Ahmad Sahel Alman/AFP – Getty Images
The parade in Bagram was the largest and most defiant since the Taliban recaptured the country in August 2021.
The crowd of about 10,000 included senior Taliban officials, including acting defence minister Mullah Yaqub and acting interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada did not attend the parade. Women were barred from attending.
The Taliban said foreign diplomats were also in attendance but did not say who.
Aid agencies have warned that humanitarian efforts in the country are severely underfunded as economic collapse and climate change devastate people’s lives.
They say Afghans, especially women and girls, will suffer without greater diplomatic engagement with the Taliban, who no country recognises as Afghanistan’s legitimate government.
The Taliban announced that in 2022, women will have to wear full-body robes and cover their faces except for their eyes in public. Ebrahim Nooroozi/AP File
The parade was also an opportunity to show off military equipment such as helicopters, Humvees and tanks that U.S. and NATO-led forces have abandoned after decades of war.
Uniformed soldiers marched with light and heavy machine guns, and motorbike columns hoisted Taliban flags.
The Taliban declared Wednesday a national holiday.
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