While Taliban leaders mark 5 years in power in Afghanistan, a UN official warns of a rights crisis

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Taliban rulers and other officials gathered at Afghanistan's traditional Loya Jirga assembly hall on Saturday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their return to power, touting what they described as restored stability and an end to decades of conflict. A top United Nations official, however, warned of a grave human rights crisis in Afghanistan, where girls over age 12 are barred from attending school. The Taliban seized power on Aug. 15, 2021, as the U.S. and other NATO troops withdrew following a costly two-decade war. The U.S. withdrawal led to chaos at Kabul airport as crowds of people tried to flee the country in desperation.

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Scoop News DeskAfghanistan · Published Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 5:09 PM UTCUpdated Monday, August 17, 2026 at 9:17 AM UTC

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Abdul Salam Hanafi, the deputy prime minister in charge of administrative affairs, said the Taliban rule ended an era of external interventions and internal strife in Afghanistan "over the past half-century," restoring security. "At least 300 Afghan youth were martyred or killed every day," Hanafi said. "Three hundred sisters would become widows, several children would become orphans and 300 mothers would be grieving.

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