Taliban celebrate return to power in Afghanistan by parading with US military vehicles

The Taliban marched on Wednesday with military equipment donated by the United States to the previous Afghan government, defeated after 20 years of war, in Kandahar, located in southern Afghanistan, the spiritual cradle of the Islamic movement.

A long line of “Humvees”, American all-terrain vehicles, driven slowly on a major highway on the outskirts of Afghanistan’s second largest city. Many of them carried black and white Taliban flags attached to the antenna, an AFP journalist noted.

The fighters were in command of the trucks used by US, NATO and Afghan forces during the two decades of conflict, while others rode on them in Ayno Maina, on the outskirts of Kandahar.

At least a Blackhawk helicopter flew over the city, which would suggest that a former pilot of the Afghan army would be in command.

Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban. In 1996, they left the capital of southern Afghanistan before quickly conquering the rest of the country, which they led until 2001, when they were ousted from power by an international coalition led by the United States.

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada lives there, the movement said on Sunday.

At Kandahar Cricket Stadium, white-bearded Taliban officials sipped coffee under awnings typically used by players and coaches.

Others, dressed in white, sat on the grass, while hundreds of supporters filled the stands.

Armed fighters, dressed in camouflage uniforms, stood in front of the crowd.

“Our common enemy, who had sworn to bring economic prosperity to our country, did not succeed,” said Maulvi Saqeb, a Taliban recruiter.

“America didn’t just attack our young soldiers, America has corrupted our mediaIt made our culture disappear, it trampled our economy, ”he added.

Rumors had spread that Akhundzada might appear in front of the crowd, but he did not show up. The only one who spoke to the audience was the new governor of the region.

On Tuesday, thousands of followers of the Islamic movement took to the streets of Kandahar, in a concert of honking and shouting of “Allah Akbar” (Allah is the greatest), celebrating the departure of the last American serviceman from Afghanistan.

Source: AFP