Taliban celebrate first year in power

Kabul, Afghanistan (AFP):

Taliban fighters chanted victory slogans next to the US embassy in Kabul Monday as they marked the first anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan following a turbulent year that saw women’s rights crushed and a humanitarian crisis worsen.

Exactly a year ago, the Taliban captured Kabul after a nationwide lightning offensive against government forces just as US-led troops were ending two decades of intervention in a conflict that cost tens of thousands of lives.

The last American troops left on August 31, ending a chaotic evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghans who had rushed to Kabul’s airport in the hope of boarding a flight out of the country.

Many Taliban fighters gathered in Kabul’s central Massoud Square, where they displayed the regime’s white banners and performed a traditional victory dance, some holding weapons and others taking pictures on their mobile phones.

However, for many ordinary Afghans — particularly women — the return of the Taliban has only increased hardships, with aid agencies saying that half the country’s 38 million people face extreme poverty.

Initially, the Taliban promised a softer version of the harsh Islamist rule that characterised their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001. But many restrictions have been imposed on women to comply with the movement’s austere vision of Islam.

While Afghans acknowledge a decline in violence since the Taliban seized power — barring some deadly attacks by the Islamic State group — the humanitarian crisis has left many helpless.

For Taliban fighters, the joy of victory overshadows the current economic crisis.

The country is in economic crisis, with its overseas assets frozen by Washington and aid curtailed in order to keep funds out of the Taliban’s hands.

No country has officially recognised the new government.