The Taliban held official ceremonies to mark Afghanistan's Independence Day — the same group that in previous years removed and defaced images of King Amanullah Khan, who won that very independence, from public institutions and spaces.
Documented incidents include the removal of a painted portrait of Amanullah Khan from the wall of Paktia University in late 2022, and the blacking out of his images in Torkham, Nangarhar. At this year's ceremony, no reference to Amanullah Khan was visible.
Analysts say the Taliban have been systematically redefining Afghanistan's historical milestones to fit their political and ideological narrative — a contradiction made all the more glaring when they celebrate independence while erasing the man who achieved it.
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