GHAZNI, Afghanistan — In the governor's compound of
Afghanistan's Ghazni province, a new exhibit is unveiled before a rapt audience
of Taliban fighters — sections of blast walls from a former US military base.
اضافة اعلان
One concrete slab is inscribed with the names and regiments
of
US troops who served in the province during the US’ longest war.
Like soldiers throughout history, US troops regularly daubed
their names on the walls of bases and fixed positions they occupied.
But now the towering block is on public display — being used
to bolster the Taliban's narrative of toppling US-led forces after 20 years of
fighting.
"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 AFP.
"Even if they called themselves the greatest power in
the world."
Taliban forces took the city of
Ghazni — 150km south of
Kabul — three days before the capital fell on August 15.
The region has 3,500 years of rich recorded history, and the
Taliban are now busy writing the latest chapter with proof of their military
triumph.
The propaganda push comes as Afghanistan's new rulers
struggle to evolve from an insurgency to a governing power in a country on the
brink of economic collapse, with the
UN estimating more than half the
population is facing acute hunger.
On roads outside the city of nearly 200,000, another
informal exhibition to the Taliban victory has been erected.
Rusting hulks of destroyed American armored vehicles are on
display, their weapons removed, their tires flat and frayed.
Children clamber around and over the wreckage, which also
features skeletons of abandoned Soviet tanks from the decade-long occupation of
Afghanistan.
That invasion ended in humiliation for the Soviets, and —
alongside the defeat of British troops in the 19th century — Afghans are quick to remind visitors that the
country has now triumphed over three foreign empires.
"We are proud of our achievement when we see
this," said 18-year-old Taliban fighter Ozair, who like many in the
country goes by only one name.
"We showed that Afghans born here could beat America, a
powerful country," he added, surveying the crumpled humvees and charred
personnel carriers.
Reminders and relics of two decades of the US-led occupation
of Afghanistan are scattered across the nation — some of them usable.
Much military hardware gifted to Afghan police and armed
forces fell into the hands of the Taliban in the last chaotic days of the
US-backed government.
The windfall of weapons, vehicles and uniforms has given the
new rulers of Kabul tangible spoils of victory.
But curating those trophies into a credible homage to the
Taliban's return to power remains a challenge.
Standing at the blast walls, Mullah Habibullah Mujahid
boasted that the 20 or so names inscribed included "important commanders
and generals" killed in combat.
The ranks listed, however, were all junior — and none of the
names feature on databases of Americans killed in the war.
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