The Afghan Taliban have erected an unlikely monument at a former US military base to commemorate their return to power.
At the governor's compound in Ghazni province, 150 kilometers south of Kabul, sections of a blast wall from a former US military base are being put on display as part of a public exhibit memorializing the US' defeat in the country.
On the roads leading to the compound, too, destroyed American armored vehicles pay homage to the Taliban's swift and sudden takeover.
“We have to show this so that Afghans, the world, and future generations know that we beat the Americans,” Taliban provincial culture chief Mullah Habibullah Mujahid told the Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Even if they call themselves the greatest power in the world."
Since their takeover, the Taliban have struggled to garner legitimacy, both among the citizens of Afghanistan and on the world stage. The spoils of war, weapons, vehicles and uniforms, left on display provide a tangible source of credibility to the Taliban's return to power.
Visiting the sites, one 18-year-old Taliban fighter stated, “We are proud of our achievement when we see this. We showed that Afghans born here could beat America, a powerful country.”
The Taliban inherited the majority of the military hardware left behind by the US, including at least one Black Hawk helicopter, armored tanks, M16 rifles, and machine guns.
At the governor's compound in Ghazni province, 150 kilometers south of Kabul, sections of a blast wall from a former US military base are being put on display as part of a public exhibit memorializing the US' defeat in the country.
On the roads leading to the compound, too, destroyed American armored vehicles pay homage to the Taliban's swift and sudden takeover.
“We have to show this so that Afghans, the world, and future generations know that we beat the Americans,” Taliban provincial culture chief Mullah Habibullah Mujahid told the Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Even if they call themselves the greatest power in the world."
Since their takeover, the Taliban have struggled to garner legitimacy, both among the citizens of Afghanistan and on the world stage. The spoils of war, weapons, vehicles and uniforms, left on display provide a tangible source of credibility to the Taliban's return to power.
Visiting the sites, one 18-year-old Taliban fighter stated, “We are proud of our achievement when we see this. We showed that Afghans born here could beat America, a powerful country.”
The Taliban inherited the majority of the military hardware left behind by the US, including at least one Black Hawk helicopter, armored tanks, M16 rifles, and machine guns.