The Taliban on Wednesday held a huge victory parade showing off dozens of American-made armored vehicles along with newly seized weapons at victory celebrations in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar.
Read Also: Biden Told Afghan President To “Create Perception” Taliban Wasn’t Winning
In videos posted on social media, the Taliban paraded hardware left behind by both Afghan and US forces after the withdrawal of the last American troops left Afghanistan in the grip of the militant group.
WATCH: Taliban throw military parade with US equipment
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— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) September 1, 2021
The parade even included a helicopter flying over a long line of Humvees decked out with the white and black Taliban flags.
An AFP journalist observed that “a long line of green Humvees and armored fighting vehicles drove in single file along a highway outside Kandahar — the spiritual birthplace of the militant movement — many with white-and-black Taliban flags attached to aerials…”.
Taliban Black Hawk parade, Kandahar,
Afghanistan.@LockheedMartinhttps://t.co/oVu5usW05D
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— Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) September 1, 2021
And more:
At least one Black Hawk helicopter has been seen flying over Kandahar in recent days, suggesting someone from the former Afghan army was at the controls as the Taliban lack pilots.
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— C4H10FO2P (@markito0171) September 1, 2021
Starting weeks ago as Taliban militants began capturing base after base and easily steamrolled major cities across the country with little resistance, it became clear they were putting their newly acquired expensive American and NATO equipment to use, given they began taking cities in the south while riding in on Humvees and armored battle vehicles.
More images of the Taliban’s victory parade in Kandahar today.
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— WorldOnAlert (@worldonalert) September 1, 2021
They’ve also positively invited journalists to document their treasure, losing no moment to show the cameras what the Americans left behind, in a constant insult to injury message to Washington and the West.
During his speech on Tuesday, President Biden hailed the US exit and evacuation efforts an “extraordinary success”. He said, “No nation has ever done anything like it in all of history; only the United States had the capacity and the will and ability to do it.” In a deeply ironic, twisted, and tragic sense… this statement is true, just not at all in the way the president thinks.