Afghanistan marks 1st anniversary of foreign troops' withdrawal

ISLAMABAD

Afghanistan on Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the US troops' withdrawal from the country after a 20-year conflict between foreign forces and the Taliban.

The main ceremony was held at Bagram Airbase, the biggest former US military station in the country during their 20-year occupation, which was attended by acting Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund and other high officials of the interim Taliban government.

The ceremony, broadcast live on the state-run Radio Television Mili, started with a guard of honor presented to the acting premier as the Afghan Taliban army helicopters buzzed overhead.

Several rallies were also held in different provinces across the country where the Taliban supporters celebrated their return to power.

The Taliban declared Wednesday a national holiday, decorating the capital with lights and banners to celebrate the first anniversary.

Speaking at the event, Mullah Akhund said the US troops took everything from the country and imposed sanctions on Afghanistan, pushing the war-torn country into an economic crisis.

“The world should know that the path of understanding, harmony, and brotherhood gets results, whereas pressures and sanctions never work,” he said while referring to the US sanctions and fund seizure.

The US seized almost $9 billion of Afghan funds after the Taliban takeover in August last year, with the Joe Biden administration splitting frozen assets between the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks and humanitarian aid for the Afghan people.

On Aug. 31, the last US soldier withdrew from Kabul Airport and the officials of the US-backed Kabul administration fled the country.