Taliban supporters took to the streets of Jalalabad on Friday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan following the US withdrawal, marked annually on August 15.
Footage showed supporters gathering and riding through the city in pickup trucks, with Taliban flags.
Taliban supporter, Ajmal Badri, said the anniversary commemorated what he described as the defeat of foreign forces following years of conflict.
“Five years ago, the great powers of the world that came to occupy Afghanistan used all kinds of bombs, cruise missiles, and forces here, but Praise be to God, through the sacrifices of the Mujahideen and great personalities, they were defeated and today we once again celebrate this fifth anniversary in Afghanistan,” Badri said.
Another supporter, Qari Sajid, described August 15 as ‘independence day’ and said people were celebrating the Taliban’s victory over the United States.
“As you know, tomorrow is Independence Day, we have come out to celebrate this day with joy. On this day, we defeated a superpower, meaning we defeated America,” Sajid said.
“Afghanistan is a country that has defeated 25 countries and Praise be to God, after the foreign countries left Afghanistan, people are happy and now they live in a peaceful environment,” he claimed.
In September, US President Donald Trump said he’d like to get Bagram airbase back, having previously warned that “bad things are going to happen” if Afghanistan does not return control of the facility, arguing the base is strategically vital because “it’s one hour from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”
“The foreign forces have fled from Afghanistan; the Americans can neither come here again nor will they have the courage to return,” said Taliban supporter Ajmal Badri.
The final US troops left Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, ending a nearly 20-year military presence in the country after a campaign launched by then-President George W. Bush after the September 11 attacks.
The war resulted in the deaths of approximately 176,000 people in Afghanistan, including nearly 46,000 civilians, as well as more than 3,500 US, British and other allied troops.
Source: Viory
