The Taliban Celebrate Four Years of Rule in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Celebrates Four Years Under Taliban Rule
Khushal Afghani, Kabul – The Taliban marked the fourth anniversary of their takeover on Friday with parades, fireworks, and speeches across the country, a ceremony that the regime hopes will inspire other nations to recognise its government.
Fiery Celebrations in Kabul and Beyond
- Helicopters hovered over the capital, dropping petals and black‑and‑white flags that read “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”
- Tracks below packed with trucks and rickshaws waved flags and carried yellow jerry cans—an emblem of the bomb‑laden war against U.S. forces.
- While a Loya Jirga – the historic tribal council hall – hosted a meeting with ministers praising “security” and “rebuilding,” a much‑publicized military parade at Bagram airbase was cancelled without explanation.
Speeches Praise Security, Omit Humanitarian Crisis
Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, largely secluded in Kandahar, did not attend. Instead, a spokesperson read a statement that lauded “the return of security” and listed a litany of crimes purged by the Taliban: corruption, oppression, narcotics, theft, and looting.
Yet the speeches omitted the country’s dire humanitarian crisis, the United Nations warns remains the world’s worst.
Local Voices Debate Prosperity and Repression
- Farmer Zabihullah in Jalalabad, using only his first name, celebrated the takeover but urged the Taliban to tackle poverty and unemployment. “Unemployment drives people abroad; some die, some are detained,” he said to AFP.
- Women and girls face restrictions that the UN has called “gender apartheid.” They are banned from most education and work, barred from parks and gyms, and cannot travel without a male guardian.
- In July, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two senior Taliban leaders, accusing them of crimes against humanity over the persecution of women and girls.
International Engagement and Recognition
Russia became the first country to officially recognise the Taliban administration in July, a victory the regime hopes will encourage further recognition. Kabul also enjoys close ties with China, Qatar, and several Central Asian states.
The Taliban government has reportedly held talks in Kabul with officials from Western states, including Norway, Britain, and the United States. But as International Crisis Group analyst Ibraheem Bahiss noted, “Women’s rights are still a priority for the international community, but security takes precedence.” He added that “Even Europe, driven by migration concerns, continues to pursue engagement, although discussions on women’s rights are a complete non‑starter.”
Opposition and Calls to Reject Normalisation
- The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) condemned any engagement with the Taliban, saying the government “is not dedicated to peace and human dignity but is bent on destroying the last vestiges of basic rights.”
- Independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council called on the international community not to normalise relations with the Taliban and to reject their “violent and authoritarian rule.” They urged that “the Taliban enforces an institutionalised system of gender oppression, crushes dissent, exacts reprisals, and muzzles independent media.”
Conclusion
The Taliban’s celebration of their fourth year in power underscores the regime’s ambition to consolidate authority both domestically and abroad, while the international community grapples with the balance between engagement and opposition to a government that denies gender equality and human rights.
