Afghanistan marks five years of Taliban rule amid rights concerns

The Taliban government celebrated five years of ruling Afghanistan on Saturday, with flag-decorated convoys and festivities in Kabul, even as critics condemned tightening restrictions on daily life.

According to AFP via Yahoo News, government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid hailed the anniversary, while the UN’s human rights director in Afghanistan described “suffocating restrictions” intruding on citizens’ lives. Women remain banned from most jobs, parks and education beyond age 12.

The Taliban government, which took Kabul unopposed in 2021, is still recognised only by Russia, with GDP per capita declining amid economic strain.