KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of its return to power Wednesday at a former U.S. air base in Afghanistan, but there was no mention of the country’s hardships or promises to help the struggling population.
Under blue skies and blazing sunshine at the Bagram base — once the center of America’s war to unseat the Taliban and hunt down the al-Qaida perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks — members of the Taliban Cabinet lauded achievements such as strengthening Islamic law and establishing a military system that provides “peace and security.”
The speeches were aimed at an international audience, urging the diaspora to return and for the West to interact and cooperate with the country’s rulers. No country recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
“The Islamic Emirate eliminated internal differences and expanded the scope of unity and cooperation in the country,” Deputy Prime Minister Maulvi Abdul Kabir said, using the Taliban’s term to describe their government. “No one will be allowed to interfere in internal affairs, and Afghan soil will not be used against any country.”
None of the four speakers talked about the challenges facing Afghans in everyday life.
Women were barred from the event, including female journalists from The Associated Press, Agence French-Presse and Reuters. The Taliban did not give a reason for barring them.
Decades of conflict and instability have left millions of Afghans on the brink of hunger and starvation. Unemployment is high.
The Bagram parade was the Taliban’s grandest and most defiant since regaining control of the country in August 2021.
The audience of some 10,000 men included senior Taliban officials such as Acting Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob and Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada was not at the parade.
The Taliban said foreign diplomats also attended, but did not specify who.
Aid agencies warn that humanitarian efforts in the country are gravely underfunded as economic collapse and climate change destroy livelihoods.
They say that Afghans, particularly women and girls, will suffer if there isn’t more diplomatic engagement with the Taliban.
The Bagram parade was also an opportunity to showcase some of the military hardware abandoned by U.S. and NATO-led forces after decades of war, including helicopters, Humvees and tanks.
Uniformed soldiers marched with light and heavy machine guns, and a motorcycle formation carried the Taliban flag.
Pickup trucks crammed with men of all ages drove through Kabul’s streets in celebration of the takeover. Some men posed for photos with rifles.
In a parade in southern Helmand province, men held yellow canisters to represent the type of explosives used in roadside bombings during the war.
The Taliban declared Wednesday a national holiday. As in previous years, women did not take part in anniversary festivities.
The Taliban are celebrating 3 years in power, but they’re not talking about Afghans
Zainul Abideen Abid called on the international community not to politicize the issue of climate change and to engage with the Islamic Emirate on this matter.
The National Environmental Protection Agency, during its annual report presentation, said that significant progress has been made to resume ten projects in the fields of climate change and environmental protection, with a total value of $58.7 million.
Officials at the agency mentioned that over the past year, they have signed five Memorandums of Understanding worth $1 million with non-governmental organizations for the implementation of environmental projects.
The Deputy Director of the National Environmental Protection Agency has called on the international community not to politicize the issue of climate change and to engage with the Islamic Emirate on this matter.
Zainul Abideen Abid, the Deputy Director of the National Environmental Protection Agency, stated: “Unfortunately, 32 climate change projects have been suspended by international environmental financial mechanisms. After extensive efforts, 7 projects worth $27.54 million have been reinstated, and 3 new projects worth $31.16 million have been committed.”
According to the officials of this agency, climate change has also caused significant damage.
They reported that due to climate change, about 21 million people in the country do not have access to drinking water, 2.5 million people have been displaced from their main areas, and annually, farmers suffer damages worth $250 million in the agriculture sector.
The agency also added that to prevent and reduce environmental pollution, they have monitored over 22,000 locations, including townships, high-rise buildings, wedding halls, factories, and other various places.
Officials from the National Environmental Protection Agency further said that the smuggling of forests and wildlife in the country has been curbed, and in the past year, the smuggling of over 17,000 different species of birds has been prevented.
Rohullah Amin, the head of the climate change department of at the National Environmental Protection Agency, said: “Specifically, our agriculture sector suffers $250 million annually from the impacts of climate change. Similarly, the flood data indicates that we have an annual death toll of 270 people, and $300 million worth of our infrastructure is vulnerable due to floods.”
The officials of this agency hope that Afghanistan will be officially invited to participate in the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29), which will be held in Azerbaijan, and that they can represent the country properly at this conference.
Efforts Resumed With Environmental Projects Worth $58.7M
The high-ranking official also stressed the need for the country’s citizens to set aside regional, ethnic, and linguistic differences and embrace unity.
As the Islamic Emirate marks the third anniversary of its return to power, Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the acting Minister of Defense, has announced that significant efforts are being made to prevent any violations of Afghanistan’s airspace.
In an interview with RTA, he highlighted the growing strength of the Islamic Emirate’s forces, emphasizing that they are now fully capable of delivering a military response to any form of aggression.
Addressing the timing and methods for preventing airspace violations, Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said: “I must say that we have made efforts, we are making efforts, and we will continue to do so. As for when and how it will be fully achieved, that cannot be precisely estimated. A person is responsible only to the extent of their ability, and we have, God willing, employed our full strength in this matter.”
He also said that the Islamic Emirate now commands a well-organized army capable of responding decisively to any form of aggression.
“I can assure the Afghan people that you now have an army that, God willing, can fully protect your country, your honor, your property, and your borders, and can deliver a crushing response to any aggressor,” he added.
The high-ranking official also stressed the need for the country’s citizens to set aside regional, ethnic, and linguistic differences and embrace unity.
Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid urged national unity, stating: “We must support one another, be aware of each other’s problems, and understand them. We should not violate the rights of others due to our power, position, or personal interests.”
Earlier, in a program honoring the security forces on July 25, the acting Minister of Defense had also stated that Afghanistan’s current government would soon take full control of the country’s airspace.
Acting Def. Min. Highlights Strengthened Military, Vows to Protect Airspace
The protesters are calling on international human rights organizations to listen to their voices and assist them in overcoming these challenges.
Residents of Chaman have resumed their protests after a 23-day pause in response to the continued closure of the Spin Boldak-Chaman crossing.
The protesters state that this time their demonstrations will be broader than before, and they will continue until their demands are accepted by the Pakistani government, refusing to yield to any pressure.
Sadiq Achakzai, the spokesperson for the Chaman protest movement, said, “We will continue our new protest and will spare no effort in securing our rights. If the Pakistani government accepts our demands, the protest will end immediately.”
Amir Muhammad, a leader of the Chaman protest movement, said, “I urge all residents of Chaman to come to the streets and participate in this protest because this is our final battle for freedom.”
The protesters are calling on international human rights organizations to listen to their voices and assist them in overcoming these challenges.
Javid Afghan, a member of the Chaman protest, said, “We call on global human rights organizations to hear our voice and restore the rights of Chaman residents who have been deprived of them.”
Hayatullah, another member of the Chaman protest, said, “We will not yield to any pressure and will not give up our demands for our rights. Our struggle is peaceful, and we are seeking our rightful entitlements.”
Residents of Chaman began their protests eleven months ago in response to the Pakistani government’s requirement of visas and passports at the Spin Boldak-Chaman crossing. Several times, Pakistani forces fired at them, but their demands have yet to be addressed.
haman Protesters Vow to Continue Until Demands Are Met
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Here is a look at key dates since the Taliban returned to power three years ago, as United States and NATO forces withdrew from the country:
Aug. 15, 2021 — The Taliban march into Kabul as internationally backed President Ashraf Ghani flees the country.
Aug. 26, 2021 — Islamic State group suicide bombers and gunmen kill over 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops in an attack on the crowds trying to be evacuated at Kabul’s airport.
March 23, 2022 — On the day high schools are opening, the Taliban abruptly reverse a promise to allow girls above the sixth grade to attend school.
May 7, 2022 — The Taliban Virtue and Vice Ministry says women in public must wear all-encompassing robes and cover their faces except for their eyes. It advises them to stay home unless they have important work outside the house.
June 22, 2022 — A powerful earthquake hits a remote region of eastern Afghanistan, killing more than 1,100 people. The Taliban struggle with rescue efforts, underscoring a lack of resources and a reliance on aid groups.
July 31, 2022 — The U.S. kills al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in a drone strike on a safe house in Kabul. American officials accuse the Taliban of sheltering him.
Sept. 30, 2022 — A suicide bomber strikes an education center in a Shiite area of the capital, killing dozens of people, including teenagers taking university entrance exams.
Nov. 10, 2022 — A nationwide ban on women using gyms and parks comes into force. The Taliban say they imposed the ban because women allegedly disobeyed gender segregation rules or didn’t cover themselves properly.
Nov. 20, 2022 — The Taliban lash 19 people, including alleged adulterers, in the first public flogging since their return to rule.
Dec. 8, 2022 — The Taliban execute a convicted killer before hundreds of spectators in the first public execution since the takeover.
July 4, 2023 — The Taliban order beauty salons to shut down for offering allegedly un-Islamic services like eyebrow shaping. The decision affects as many as 60,000 female entrepreneurs.
Oct. 4, 2023 — Pakistan announces a major crackdown on foreigners living in the country illegally, including 1.7 million Afghans. The Taliban, the U.N. and rights groups condemn the policy.
Oct. 7, 2023 — A 6.3 magnitude earthquake in western Herat province kills thousands of people. More quakes follow, bringing further devastation to the area.
Nov. 15, 2023 – FlyDubai becomes the first international carrier to resume flights to Kabul after a two-year hiatus. AirArabia and Turkish Airlines follow suit.
Jan. 4, 2024 — The Taliban arrest women in Kabul for wearing “bad hijab,” the first official dress code crackdown since they returned to power.
Feb. 22, 2024 — The Taliban hold a double execution at a stadium in the country’s southeast while thousands of people watch.
May 11, 2024 — Flash floods in Afghanistan’s north from unusually heavy seasonal rains kill more than 300 people.
May 17, 2024 — Shooters open fire in central Bamiyan province killing six people, including three Spanish holidaymakers. It’s a blow to the Taliban’s plans to woo tourists. IS claims the attack.
June 4, 2024 — The Taliban publicly flog at least 60 people, including more than a dozen women, accused of crimes such as sodomy, theft and immoral relations.
June 4, 2024 — The leader of the United Arab Emirates meets a Taliban official with a U.S. bounty on his head over his involvement in an attack that killed an American citizen and other assaults. It highlights the growing divide on how to deal with the Taliban.
June 30, 2024 — The Taliban attend a U.N.-sponsored meeting in Qatar. Although it’s the third such gathering, it’s the first time the Taliban are attending. There’s backlash after Afghan women and civil society representatives are excluded.
A senior investigator has resigned from the Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee probe into the Biden administration’s deadly and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, accusing the panel of holding back its full power in examining the failures of the U.S. pullout.
Jerry Dunleavy, a former journalist and author of a book detailing first-person accounts of the withdrawal, posted his resignation letter Monday to social platform X. He described himself as a whistleblower, criticizing the committee as suffering from “investigative paralysis.”
Efforts to pursue investigative leads were “repeatedly stymied by our chief investigator and by senior staff, and unfortunately, sometimes by indecision from you, Mr. Chairman,” Dunleavy wrote in the letter, referring to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas).
In a phone call with The Hill, Dunleavy said he was motivated to speak out publicly ahead of the November election to raise an urgency to go after interviews with key administration officials and dig deeper into the responsibility of the military generals and commanders while Republicans are still in the majority in the House.
“There is definitely a significant bias from the chairman, downward, toward not really looking to hold the military commanders and generals accountable for what happened,” Dunleavy said.
He described committee members treating retired Gens. Mark Milley and Kenneth McKenzie with “kid gloves” during a March hearing. Milley served as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during both the Trump and Biden administrations, and McKenzie is the former commander of United States Central Command.
Dunleavy further said that the committee has taken “zero steps” to look at Vice President Harris’s role in the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying “I have received pushback from my superiors related to taking action on this.”
“I have argued repeatedly that Vice President Kamala Harris should be held accountable for her role in the debacle in Afghanistan, especially now that she is the Democratic nominee for President of the United States and could soon be making national security decisions and directing foreign policy for our entire nation,” Dunleavy wrote in his letter.
Emily Cassil, a spokesperson for committee Republicans, responded to Dunleavy’s resignation by saying McCaul “pours his heart and soul into getting answers for our Gold Star families and Afghanistan veterans” and pointed to the committee’s expected publication in September of its final report looking at the decisionmaking surrounding the U.S. pullout.
Separately, a Republican committee aide pushed back on Dunleavey’s assertion that the vice president was off limits, adding that her role in the withdrawal would be addressed in the September report.
McCaul has made investigating President Biden’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan a centerpiece of his agenda heading the committee, promising to discover how the two-decade war culminated in a deadly and chaotic end in which 13 U.S. service members were killed in a terrorist attack, along with roughly 170 Afghan civilians.
But Democrats have criticized McCaul as carrying out a partisan investigation that fails to look at former President Trump’s role in setting up the conditions for the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, as well as decisions by previous administrations from Presidents Bush and Obama.
McCaul’s staff published an interim report in August 2022 that detailed a lack of planning on the part of the administration and analyzed a series of missteps and errors that complicated the withdrawal.
The final Republican committee report is expected to be based on more than 20 transcribed interviews with administration officials involved in the withdrawal and conclusions drawn from at least five public hearings carried out over the course of the year.
The U.S. military and diplomatic withdrawal from Afghanistan is largely viewed as one of the darkest moments in Biden’s term in office. Over a fraught two weeks in August 2021, the U.S. watched the Taliban advance a lightning offensive to take over the country, sweeping through Kabul as the internationally recognized Afghan government and military crumbled.
The administration evacuated an estimated 125,000 people over those two weeks, but tens of thousands of vulnerable Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces were initially left behind, and pathways to immigration to the U.S. got caught up in a bureaucratic backlog.
The withdrawal was marked by hectic scenes of civilians mobbing Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport and departing planes. A deadly terrorist bombing by the group ISIS-K left more than a dozen U.S. forces dead.
“I don’t want there to be more unnecessary Gold Star families in the future,” Dunleavy told The Hill.
“That’s what I worry about, if we don’t pursue real accountability and pursue real answers here is that there aren’t going to be lessons learned. There’s not going to be accountability, no one’s going to feel like there needs to be a big mindset change. No one’s gonna really absorb the fact that this was a big loss. We lost a two decade war, and we better get serious if we don’t want to lose the next one.”
Afghanistan withdrawal investigator resigns in protest from GOP probe
On Monday evening, August 12th, former US President Donald Trump criticized the policies of current President Joe Biden regarding the Taliban during a public discussion on X. He described the transfer of Afghan funds to the Taliban as “the greatest folly in U.S. history.”
Meanwhile, Trump labeled the Taliban as the “largest illegal arms dealer” in the world.
Trump’s remarks appear to reference Afghanistan’s foreign assets in the U.S., which are currently held in a Swiss bank under the supervision of the Afghan trust fund, with the Taliban not having access to them.
Trump has previously claimed that the Biden administration left behind approximately $85 billion worth of U.S. military equipment in Afghanistan, which he asserts fell into the hands of the Taliban.
In his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, where he formally accepted the party’s nomination for the upcoming presidential election, Trump stated that the Taliban had become the world’s largest seller of American weapons through their sales of these arms.
While Trump did not specify which countries or groups the Taliban might be selling American weapons to, there have been prior reports of such equipment being spotted in Pakistan, Kashmir, and even Palestine.
U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan following the signing of the Doha Agreement on February 2020, which was signed by Trump’s administration and implemented during Biden’s presidency.
Trump’s statements bring renewed attention to the controversial aspects of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the ongoing impact of the Taliban’s access to American military equipment.
As the debate over the handling of Afghanistan assets and military resources continues, these issues remain a significant point of contention in U.S. political discourse.
Trump criticizes Biden’s Afghanistan policy as ‘Greatest Folly’
Local residents reported that Pakistani forces occasionally fire on their homes, forcing them to abandon their properties.
Three people were killed and three others injured during a clash on Monday afternoon between Islamic Emirate forces and Pakistani border guards at the Torkham crossing.
The Ministry of Interior reported that the violence was sparked by an attack from Pakistani forces, which led to a retaliatory exchange of fire. In the confrontation, two Pakistani military posts were destroyed.
The conflict arose over the construction of a security post on Afghan soil.
Abdul Matin Qani, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, commented on the clash, saying: “Afghan border forces were fired upon, forcing us to respond. As a result, two of their posts were destroyed. They targeted civilian areas, and as a result, a woman and two children were martyred.”
Asadullah, a border soldier, said about the clash: “We were building a post on our own land when Pakistani forces opened fire on us. We gave them a decisive response.”
Local residents reported that Pakistani forces occasionally fire on their homes, forcing them to abandon their properties.
Lal Mohammad, a local resident, said: “Shells came from the Pakistani side, and a woman and two children in one of our neighbor’s houses were martyred, with others injured.”
Khalid, another resident, said: “There is no one left in the village; just one or two people remain. When rockets come from Pakistan, they hit houses. Pakistan is targeting people’s homes.”
Following yesterday’s clash, the Torkham crossing has been closed to all movement, leaving hundreds of people, including patients, stranded on both sides of the border. In addition, hundreds of cargo trucks have also been halted.
Drivers and local residents called on both sides to resolve the issues through dialogue rather than armed conflict.
Khan Shinwari, a local resident, said: “Such clashes happen frequently here, displacing people. Yesterday, a woman and two children were martyred in this house.”
Taj Maluk, one of the drivers, said: “I am a truck driver, and I was carrying onions. This is the second night we’ve been stuck here, and the onions are spoiling.”
Torkham is one of the country’s key trade crossings, but due to clashes between Islamic Emirate forces and Pakistani border guards, it is occasionally closed, causing significant losses for travelers, drivers, and traders.
West added that Ryan Corbett and Mahmood Habibi were arrested in Afghanistan on this day two years ago.
US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West said there are continued efforts to secure the release of three American citizens held by the Afghan interim government.
The US special envoy for Afghanistan said: “We will and we must continue every effort to bring them and George Glezmann home to their families.”
“The American individuals imprisoned in Afghanistan might be released or exchanged with Afghan prisoners in the US by the Islamic Emirate as it seeks to establish good relations with the US,” said Saleem Paigir, a political analyst.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a statement seeking information about Mahmood Habibi, an American citizen of Afghan origin. According to the statement, Mahmood Habibi was an employee of a telecommunications company in Afghanistan who was arrested on August 10, 2022, along with 29 other employees. All the other employees have been released except Mahmood Habibi.
The FBI statement reads: “The FBI is seeking information into the disappearance of Mahmood Shah Habibi in 2022 in Afghanistan. Mr. Habibi is an Afghan-American businessman, and he worked as a contractor for Asia Consultancy Group, a Kabul-based telecommunications company.”
Meanwhile, the chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs criticized the Biden administration, saying it has no plan to free Ryan Corbett. He claimed that this American citizen is being tortured in Afghanistan.
The US House Committee on Foreign Affairs wrote: “Despite repeated requests, President Biden has still not met with Ryan’s wife Anna or their family. Ryan’s mental and physical health is deteriorating daily, yet the Biden-Harris administration still has no plan to bring him home.”
“These reports of their torture have not been documented and there is no evidence; these claims are being used merely for election campaigns and to blame one another,” said Samiullah Ahmadzai, a political analyst.
At the same time, Ryan Corbett’s wife has asked the US President to fulfill his promise regarding her husband’s release.
Anna Corbett, Ryan Corbett’s wife, said: “I have written emails, I have asked to meet with him — they’ve all been ignored. He broke his promise to me.”
The Islamic Emirate has not recently commented on this matter; however, previously, a spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate had said that they discussed a prisoner exchange with US representatives on the sidelines of the third Doha meeting.
West: Efforts Ongoing for Release of Americans in Afghanistan
The Afghanistan Polio-Free Organization has announced that a polio vaccination campaign has commenced today, August 10, in several regions of the country.
In a public note, the organization urged citizens to do their part in achieving a “Polio-Free Afghanistan.”
The organization did not provide details on the number of children expected to receive the vaccine during this campaign.
According to reports, the campaign will last for four days across the country.
Previously, the head of the Polio Eradication Operations Center at the Ministry of Public Health mentioned that during this campaign, 4.2 million children under the age of five in the provinces of Herat, Uruzgan, Helmand, Kandahar, Zabul, and Nimroz would be vaccinated.
It is noteworthy that Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not yet been eradicated.
According to the Ministry of Public Health, six positive cases of polio were recorded in Afghanistan in 2023.
The ongoing efforts to eradicate polio in Afghanistan face significant challenges, including access to remote areas, ongoing conflict, and public awareness. These factors make it imperative for both local communities and international organizations to collaborate closely to ensure the success of vaccination campaigns.
Meanwhile, the current vaccination drive is a step forward; sustained efforts, comprehensive coverage, and continued international support are crucial to finally eradicating polio from Afghanistan. The goal of a polio-free Afghanistan can only be achieved through persistent and coordinated efforts at all levels of society.
Afghanistan Peace Campaign
