The Taliban on Friday held a subdued ceremony to mark the fourth anniversary of their return to power, avoiding the large-scale celebrations and military parades that characterised previous years.
The commemoration took place at Kabul’s Loya Jirga Hall and was attended by senior officials, including Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Several influential figures were absent, however, including Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub, and Intelligence Chief Abdul Haq Wasiq. Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada also remained unseen, in line with his pattern of avoiding major political gatherings and limiting appearances to small religious events in Kandahar.
Analysts pointed to several factors behind the Taliban’s caution. Previous military parades at Bagram airbase drew sharp criticism from US President Donald Trump, who demanded the return of the base and American-made weaponry. Seeking to avoid further confrontation with Washington, the Taliban refrained from staging a display at Bagram this year.
Despite their anti-US rhetoric, Taliban leaders appear wary of American reactions. On Friday, Muttaqi reiterated that the Taliban seeks better relations with Washington, though US officials have shown little interest.
On the eve of the anniversary, Taliban officials claimed to have foiled an Islamic State (ISIS) plot to attack Bagram, releasing images of a man with two rocket launchers. No event had been scheduled at the base, leading observers to suspect the claim was used to justify the scaled-down commemoration.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid later told local media that funds originally allocated for a military parade were redirected to support Afghan migrants expelled from neighbouring countries.
The muted tone of this year’s anniversary recalls Mujahideen Victory Day on 28 April, once a major public holiday celebrating the 1992 fall of the Soviet-backed government. Initially marked with mass rallies, the event gradually diminished to smaller official gatherings before fading from Afghanistan’s political calendar. Analysts say the Taliban’s “Victory Day” of August 15 could follow the same path.
