The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of its return to power at a former U.S. air base in Afghanistan on Wednesday, but there was no mention of the country’s hardships or promises of hope for the struggling population.

Under blue skies and blazing sunshine at Bagram — once the center of America’s war to unseat the Taliban and hunt down the al-Qaida perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks — members of the Taliban Cabinet lauded achievements like strengthening Islamic law and establishing a military system that provides “peace and security.”

The speeches were aimed at an international audience, urging the diaspora to return and for the West to interact and cooperate with the country’s rulers.

“The Islamic Emirate eliminated internal differences and expanded the scope of unity and cooperation in the country,” said Deputy Prime Minister Maulvi Abdul Kabir, employing the term the Taliban use to describe their government. “No one will be allowed to interfere in internal affairs and Afghan soil will not be used against any country.”

None of the four speakers talked about the challenges facing Afghans in everyday life.

Decades of conflict and instability have left millions of Afghans on the brink of hunger and starvation. Unemployment is high.

The Bagram parade was the Taliban’s grandest and most defiant since regaining control of the country in August 2021.

The audience of some 10,000 men included senior Taliban officials such as Acting Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob and Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada was not at the parade. Women were barred.

The Taliban said foreign diplomats also attended, but did not specify who.

Aid agencies warn that humanitarian efforts in the country are gravely underfunded as economic collapse and climate change are destroying livelihoods.

They say that Afghans, particularly women and girls, will suffer if there isn’t more diplomatic engagement with the Taliban. No country recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

The Bagram parade was also an opportunity to showcase some of the military hardware abandoned by U.S. and NATO-led forces after decades of war: helicopters, Humvees and tanks.

Uniformed soldiers marched with light and heavy machine guns, and a motorcycle formation bore the Taliban flag.

Pickup trucks crammed with men of all ages drove through Kabul’s streets in celebration of the takeover. Some men posed for photos with rifles.

In a parade in southern Helmand province, men held yellow canisters to represent the type of explosives used in roadside bombings during the war.

The Taliban declared Wednesday a national holiday. As in previous years, women did not take part in anniversary festivities.

(AP)