Taliban celebrate anniversary of foreign forces' withdrawal

KABUL: Taliban suicide bomber squads, homemade bombs assembled in oil containers, and old guards riding motorcycles in local uniforms were on display on Wednesday as the regime celebrated the one-year anniversary of the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan.

The Taliban also made a show of strength by performing a military parade with the $7 billion worth of American military equipment left behind during the chaotic withdrawal of US-led NATO forces from the country, reports dpa news agency.

The event was conducted at Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul.

Bagram Airfield was the Americans' largest military headquarters during the two decades they operated in Afghanistan.

It was used for planning and coordinating military operations against the Taliban.

The televised ceremony was aired live by local broadcasters.

The day was also declared a national holiday and Taliban forces marked the night of the first anniversary in Kabul with fireworks and celebratory shots into the air.

Speaking at the event, the Taliban's Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund said they had fought for 20 years for the day.

However, he admitted that country's economy has been paralysed due to US sanctions and called on the world to engage with them.

The last American soldier left the Kabul International Airport on August 30, 2021, in the midst of chaos marking the end of Western efforts to fight off the Taliban.