On Wednesday, it was the third anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan and the group celebrated the event with a military parade at the Bagram airbase, which was used by the US military. The parade included dummies of homemade bombs, old Soviet-made tanks, and fighter jets. The actual sensation was seeing actual US-made armored vehicles travel past flying the Taliban’s official flag, the black and white flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Choppers and fighter jets flew overhead and the base is 40 kilometers north of Kabul. Formerly, the detainees detained in the base were Taliban fighters, now the base has become a manifestation of their powers in the country.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on 15 August 2021 after the US-installed regime in the country fell to the group. They called this one a ‘day of victory’ even though their government is not internationally acknowledged because of their cruelty to women. The UN described their policies as ‘gender apartheid’.
As Madina, a 20-year-old former university student, said ‘It has been three years since the dreams of girls were buried. ’ It is a painful reminder of what can be done and what the enemy of humanity has chosen to do.
Speaking on behalf of the new Afghan regime, Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund said the Taliban had triumphed over ‘Western invaders,’ called on the Taliban to adhere to Islamic law and respect the rights of Afghans, including their lives and possessions.
Despite the current Taliban regime has emphasis on building a secure environment for its citizens, however, the menace posed by the Islamic State group still persists. Measures were stepped up in Kabul and Kandahar in particular to mark the anniversary.
However, after the cessation of the war after years, a new set of problems cycle the day-to-day of most Afghans. One cannot argue that the economy is facing issues, or that millions of people face an even worse humanitarian situation. Zalmai, 26, employed in a non-governmental organization noted that the past three years marked some of the worst years of people’s lives with many people not having food and the youths unemployed.
Women, especially, have been driven to their homes, and barred from schools, workplaces, and other social and civic activities. Human Rights Watch has urged the international community to step up pressure on the Taliban to remove such restrictions.
