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

09/01/2021 2:20 PM

• Clarín.com

• World

Updated 09/01/2021 2:24 PM

The Taliban held a parade 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 off-road vehicles, cruised

along a large highway on the outskirts of Afghanistan's second city.

Many of them carried black and white Taliban flags attached to the antenna, an AFP journalist found.

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

Taliban fighters parade through the streets of Kandahar.

Photo: AFP

At least

one Blackhawk helicopter flew over the city

, suggesting that a former Afghan army pilot would be in command.

Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban

.

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

Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada lives there, the movement claimed on Sunday.

At the Kandahar cricket stadium, white-bearded Taliban officials sipped coffee under the canopies generally used by players and coaches.

Taliban fighters in the parade.

Photo: AFP

Others, dressed in white, were sitting 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, has not succeeded," said Maulvi Saqeb, a Taliban recruiter.

"The United States has not been content to attack our young soldiers, the

United States has corrupted our media

, it has made our culture disappear, it has trampled our economy," he added.

A helicopter with a Taliban flag was also seen in the parade.

Photo: AFP

Rumors had spread that Akhundzada might appear in front of the crowd, but he did not show himself.

The only one who spoke to the audience was the new governor of the area.

On Tuesday, thousands of faithful to the Islamic movement took to the streets of Kandahar, in a concert of car horns and shouts of "Allah Akbar" (Allah is the greatest),

celebrating the departure of the last US military

from Afghanistan.

Source: AFP 

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