The Taliban has celebrated the anniversary of the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan by holding a military show at Bagram airbase, which served as the main American operational hub throughout the 20-year war.
The US spent 3 Trillion dollars, 2 decades of War and countless wasted lives
To replace the Taliban with the Taliban
3 years on the Afghans are celebrating their victory over the "greatest military on earth" The parades Armor, air force and weapons all provided by the USA pic.twitter.com/ttuNBLjPHE
— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) August 14, 2024
Taliban forces seized the capital, Kabul, on August 15, 2021, after the US-backed government collapsed. The leadership now marks the date as the official “Afghan Jihad” Victory Day, while August 31 is celebrated as the day when the last American soldier left Afghanistan.
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The military parade in Bagram on Wednesday featured Soviet-era tanks, artillery pieces, and aircraft – as well as dozens of US-made armored vehicles abandoned by the Americans. More parades featuring American weaponry were held in Kabul, Kandahar province, and elsewhere across the country.
Videos of the events, broadcast internationally, also showed columns of uniformed Afghan security forces marching with rifles and heavy machine guns. A swarm of motorbikes showcased homemade bombs used in roadside ambushes against US-led forces during the war.
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Thousands of people attended, including senior Taliban officials and foreign diplomats, according to reports. The military show was followed by speeches commemorating what Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund called a “decisive victory over an international arrogant and occupying force.”