Sawt Falasteen - Taliban govt supporters dance, take selfies in Kabul celebrations

Hundreds of Afghans gathered just metres from the former embassy of the United States, whose drawdown of troops resulted in the chaotic exit of foreign forces in 2021.

People packed into cars, spilled out of windows, sunroofs, or the back of pick-up trucks, waving the bright white flag of the Taliban government.

The authorities have faced criticism for imposing their strict interpretation of Islamic law on Afghans, with particularly tight rules reserved for women and girls, but some were thrilled with the anniversary.

"We are very hopeful and happy for Afghanistan's future," said 28-year-old Mohammad Daud Rahmani, who owns a construction business in southern Kandahar.

"This happiness is celebrated in Kandahar and celebrated in other provinces also, but it has another kind of joy in Kabul," he said, calling for more countries to engage with the Taliban government.

There was a festive atmosphere as people with AK-47 rifles slung over their shoulders walked among the crowd, which was almost entirely made up of men and children.

Some Taliban members danced with a rocket-propelled grenade.

A woman wearing a green body-cloaking chador and a black headscarf was stopped from posing for pictures with the flag, and left the area.

- 'Peace, comfort and calmness' -

Others had dressed up for the occasion, with young boys donning military fatigues and clutching toy guns, and children and men alike wearing red or white headbands.

Some attached dummy yellow fuel canisters to their cars, symbolising those used as homemade bombs during the Taliban's two-decade insurgency before they returned to power.

Asif Khan Barakzai, a 21-year-old Kabul resident, expressed his gratitude to the Taliban's supreme leader and security forces for the "very peaceful atmosphere".

"We come and convey a message to the world that today, with the arrival of the Islamic Emirate, I feel peace, comfort and calmness in Afghanistan," he told AFP, referring to the Taliban administration.

Religious and patriotic music blared while military helicopters flew overhead, and the pop of firecrackers echoed on the street.

But beyond a checkpoint leading to the former Green Zone, streets that once bustled with US personnel and other foreign officials were quiet.

A lone ice cream vendor pushed his cart, which was adorned with the government's white flag.

The celebrations were largely confined to a handful of spots, including a square where Taliban members were dancing the attan -- a traditional Pashtun dance.

The government had declared Saturday a national holiday and some shops were closed in Kabul, while traffic in the usually congested capital had eased.

Y.Shaath--SF-PST