KABUL, Aug 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Dancing to loud patriotic music and taking 
selfies, supporters of the Taliban rallied in central Kabul on Saturday to 
celebrate the government's five years in power.

Hundreds of Afghans gathered just metres from the former embassy of the 
United States, whose drawdown of troops resulted in the chaotic exit of 
foreign forces in 2021.

People packed into cars, spilled out of windows, sunroofs, or the back of 
pick-up trucks, waving the bright white flag of the Taliban government.

The authorities have faced criticism for imposing their strict interpretation 
of Islamic law on Afghans, with particularly tight rules reserved for women 
and girls, but some were thrilled with the anniversary.

"We are very hopeful and happy for Afghanistan's future," said 28-year-old 
Mohammad Daud Rahmani, who owns a construction business in southern Kandahar.

"This happiness is celebrated in Kandahar and celebrated in other provinces 
also, but it has another kind of joy in Kabul," he said, calling for more 
countries to engage with the Taliban government.

There was a festive atmosphere as people with AK-47 rifles slung over their 
shoulders walked among the crowd, which was almost entirely made up of men 
and children.

Some Taliban members danced with a rocket-propelled grenade.

A woman wearing a green body-cloaking chador and a black headscarf was 
stopped from posing for pictures with the flag, and left the area.

- 'Peace, comfort and calmness' -

Others had dressed up for the occasion, with young boys donning military 
fatigues and clutching toy guns, and children and men alike wearing red or 
white headbands.

Some attached dummy yellow fuel canisters to their cars, symbolising those 
used as homemade bombs during the Taliban's two-decade insurgency before they 
returned to power.

Asif Khan Barakzai, a 21-year-old Kabul resident, expressed his gratitude to 
the Taliban's supreme leader and security forces for the "very peaceful 
atmosphere".

"We come and convey a message to the world that today, with the arrival of 
the Islamic Emirate, I feel peace, comfort and calmness in Afghanistan," he 
told AFP, referring to the Taliban administration.

Religious and patriotic music blared while military helicopters flew 
overhead, and the pop of firecrackers echoed on the street.

But beyond a checkpoint leading to the former Green Zone, streets that once 
bustled with US personnel and other foreign officials were quiet.

A lone ice cream vendor pushed his cart, which was adorned with the 
government's white flag.

The celebrations were largely confined to a handful of spots, including a 
square where Taliban members were dancing the attan -- a traditional Pashtun 
dance.

The government had declared Saturday a national holiday and some shops were 
closed in Kabul, while traffic in the usually congested capital had eased.