‘Bright and prosperous future’ – Kabul marks four years of Taliban rule amid aid warnings

Kabul’s streets were lined with white flags and decorated banners on Friday as Afghanistan marked the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power on 15 August 2021.

Officials held seminars and processions while residents drove through the capital with flags on their vehicles. Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, urged unity, saying Afghans should “strive with solidarity to preserve these great achievements and build a bright and prosperous future under the Islamic system.”

Security forces said measures were in place to ensure safety throughout the day.

The anniversary marks the fall of the US-backed Republic and the return of Taliban rule, a moment seen by many as one of the most significant political shifts in modern Afghan history.

International voices, however, warned of worsening conditions. Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), said Afghanistan faces its “worst” situation yet, with more than 23 million people in need of humanitarian assistance according to the United Nations. He urged donor nations to return diplomats to Kabul “so we can together fight for the rights of Afghan women and girls”.

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada marked the anniversary by ordering the removal of the word “acting” from officials’ titles, claiming “suitable conditions” now exist for rebuilding the country and that Afghans have been “freed from linguistic, ethnic, regional, partisan and other divisions”.

Analysts note the move is part of efforts to project permanence in governance, despite Afghanistan’s ongoing economic crisis, restrictions on women’s rights, and limited international recognition.

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