Taliban celebrates 1st anniversary of US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan

The Taliban has declared Wednesday a national holiday and lit up the capital with coloured lights to celebrate the first anniversary of the withdrawal of US-led troops from Afghanistan after a brutal 20-year war.

Not formally recognised by any other nation, the country's new rulers have reimposed their harsh version of law they say is derived from Islam on the impoverished country, with women squeezed out of public life.

But despite the restrictions and a deepening humanitarian crisis, many Afghans say they are glad the foreign force that prompted the Taliban insurgency has gone.

"We are happy that Allah got rid of the infidels from our country, and the Islamic Emirate has been established," said Zalmai, a resident of Kabul.

The withdrawal of troops at midnight on August 31 began last year and ended America's longest war — a military invasion that began in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks in America.

Some 66,000 Afghan troops and 48,000 civilians were killed in the conflict but it was the deaths of US service members — 2,461 in total — that became too much for the American public to bear.

More than 3,500 troops from other NATO countries were also killed.

"The burden of the war in Afghanistan, however, went beyond Americans," the US military said on Tuesday.

Two weeks before the end of last year's withdrawal, the Taliban seized power following a lightning offensive against the previous government's forces.

Banners celebrating victories against three empires — the former Soviet Union and Britain also lost wars in Afghanistan — were flying in Kabul on Wednesday.

Hundreds of white Taliban flags bearing the Islamic proclamation of faith flew from lampposts and government buildings.

Late Tuesday, the skies above Kabul were lit up with fireworks and celebratory gunfire from crowds of Taliban fighters.

In Massoud Square, near the former US embassy, armed fighters carrying Taliban flags chanted "Death to America". Others drove across the city honking their horns.

READ MORE: A year after Taliban takeover, Afghans wait for a better future

Touting US weapons in a backdrop of poverty

Taliban social media accounts posted scores of videos and pictures of newly trained troops — many flaunting the US military equipment left behind in the haste of Washington's chaotic withdrawal.

"This is how you troll a superpower after humiliating them and forcing them to withdraw from your country," read the caption of one post on Twitter featuring a photo of a giant Taliban flag now painted on the wall of the former US embassy.

Despite the Taliban's pride in taking over, Afghanistan's 38 million people now face a desperate humanitarian crisis — aggravated after billions of dollars in assets were frozen and foreign aid dried up. 

The UN humanitarian chief has urged donors to immediately provide $770 million to help Afghans get through the winter as the United States argued with Russia and China over who should pay.

More than half the Afghan population need assistance and close to 19 million are facing acute levels of food insecurity, Martin Griffiths said. And "we worry" that the figures will soon become worse because winter weather will send already high fuel and food prices skyrocketing.

Hardships for women have increased.

The Taliban have shut secondary girls' schools in many provinces and barred women from many government jobs.

They have also ordered women to fully cover up in public, ideally with an all-encompassing burqa.

"Now I'm sitting at home without a job," said Oranoos Omerzai, a resident of Kandahar, the de facto power centre of the Taliban.

"Afghans are no more being killed in war, foreign forces have withdrawn, and security has improved," Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters last week.

READ MORE: Deepening poverty leaves millions of Afghans at risk of famine: UN