Gloating Taliban stage military parade to celebrate three years in power after seizing control of Afghanistan - with a swarm of fighters riding motorbikes joining a party at a former US airbase

Afghanistan's Taliban rulers held a military parade with swarms of motorbikes at a former 'linchpin' US base after seizing power of the country three years ago.  

The Taliban's armed forces towed Soviet-era tanks as well as US-made armoured vehicles as they waved the black-and-white flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Bagram today.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is the formal name given to the country by the Taliban government.

Chinese and Iranian diplomats were among hundreds who gathered for the parade at the former base which previously served as the linchpin for US-led operations against the Taliban for two decades.

A drove of motorbikes strapped with yellow jerry cans, often used to carry homemade bombs during times of conflict also rumbled past assembled officials.

Helicopters and fighter aircraft jetted over the base, where Taliban fighters were once imprisoned, around 25 miles north of Kabul.

Taliban forces seized the capital on August 15, 2021, after the US-backed government collapsed and its leaders fled into exile.  

The anniversary is marked a day earlier on the Afghan calendar.

The Taliban first took to the streets showing off dozens of US-made armoured vehicles and weaponry during victory parades on September 1, 2021. 

One event, in the southern city of Kandahar, even featured a fly-past from a Black Hawk helicopter flying the flag of the Taliban.

The parades of the hardware, captured from Afghan forces during the group's takeover of Afghanistan, were held just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden defended his decision to end two decades of American presence in the country.

The Islamist hardliners celebrated the final withdrawal of U.S. troops as an historic victory after taking control of all but one of the country's 34 provinces in a two-week offensive 

Their government is not currently recognised by any other state, with restrictions on women bearing the brunt of policies branded by the United Nations as 'gender apartheid'.

Women have been squeezed from public life - banned from many jobs as well as parks and gyms - and barred from secondary and higher education. 

Former university student, Madina, 20, said: 'Three years have passed since the dreams of girls have been buried.'

'It's a bitter feeling that every year, the celebration of this day reminds us of the efforts, memories, and goals we had for our future.'

Human Rights Watch (HRW) have reiterated calls for pressure on the Taliban government to lift restrictions on women.

'The third anniversary of the Taliban's takeover is a grim reminder of Afghanistan's human rights crisis,' said Fereshta Abbasi, HRW's Afghanistan researcher.

The UN special rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, took to X (formerly Twitter) to urge the international community to 'not normalize the de facto authorities or their appalling human rights violations.'.

Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who had been scheduled to appear at Bagram, praised the Taliban authorities' victory over 'Western occupiers' in a statement read by his chief of staff.

He said the Taliban government has 'the responsibility to maintain Islamic rule, protect property, people's lives and the respect of our nation'.

Security has been a priority for Taliban authorities as they consolidated their power over the past three years.

They have since implemented laws based on their strict interpretation of Islam.

However, attacks by the Islamic State group remain a threat and extra security was deployed in Kabul and in the Taliban's spiritual home of Kandahar ahead of the parade.

Helicopters also jetted over the Ghazi stadium in Kabul, where hundreds of men gathered to hear speeches, Taliban anthems and see athletic performances.

Rugby player Samiullah Akmal praised the day's events, saying it was 'better than other years'.

'As a young man, I see Afghanistan's future is bright... we are independent and the people surrounding us are our own,' he said.

Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Noorullah Noori,. said that there was a feeling of 'unity', as the stadium was packed with residents from surrounding provinces.

'Whether people are members of Islamic Emirate or not... they should be grateful for this blessing from God, they should stand behind the Islamic Emirate,' he said.

Young boys were pictured carrying a large black-and-white flag in the Green Zone - once a secure enclave of foreign embassies - saying 'We're ready to do a suicide attack!'

While many Afghans expressed relief at the end of 40 years of successive conflicts, the economy remains stagnant and the population mired in a worsening humanitarian crisis.

'The past three years have been some of the worst of our lives,' said Zalmai, 26, who works for a non-profit and only gave his last name.

'I don't know what security the Taliban are talking about, people are hungry, the youth don't have jobs... both girls and boys are facing uncertain future.' 

A joint statement from international non-governmental groups warned of the growing aid funding gap in Afghanistan, as 23.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.