Taliban rulers in Afghanistan have celebrated the fifth anniversary of their return to power, marking a significant milestone in the country’s tumultuous history. The celebration took place at the traditional Loya Jirga assembly hall in Kabul, where high-ranking officials, foreign representatives, and thousands of ordinary citizens gathered to commemorate the occasion.

The Taliban administration has touted its achievements in restoring stability and ending decades of conflict in Afghanistan. However, a top United Nations official has sounded a warning note, describing the situation in Afghanistan as a deep human rights crisis.

According to the UN, the Taliban’s rule has been marked by severe restrictions on girls’ and women’s rights, including a ban on education beyond the sixth grade and higher education for women. The UN has also documented arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial killings, and persecution of minorities in Afghanistan.

In a video message, Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, described the country’s human rights situation as ‘grave’ and warned against ‘normalizing’ the Taliban’s policies, saying it would legitimize the discrimination and tell ‘victims their suffering is negotiable.’

The Taliban government’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, and the deputy prime minister, Abdul Salam Hanafi, delivered speeches at the Loya Jirga, praising the administration’s achievements in delivering security and infrastructure and creating jobs. However, the absence of women at the ceremony highlighted the stark reality of the Taliban’s restrictive policies.

Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi called on countries that have not established contacts with the administration to reconsider their approach, saying that engagement and mutual interaction could benefit all parties. The Taliban’s isolation from the international community remains a pressing concern, with Russia being the only country to have formally recognized the administration.

The celebrations were marked by a heavy Taliban security force presence and several checkpoints on a main road leading to the Loya Jirga. Thousands of people took to the streets in Kabul, carrying Taliban flags and chanting slogans in support of the government. Convoys of vehicles wound their way through the city, causing traffic jams.

The UN estimates that some 2.4 million girls have been excluded from secondary education, while child malnutrition has reached critical levels in a third of Afghanistan’s provinces. The lack of teachers, doctors, nurses, and midwives threatens the country’s social and economic foundations.

The Taliban’s restrictive policies and human rights abuses have sparked widespread concern and condemnation from the international community. The UN has called for an end to the discrimination and persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan, emphasizing the need for urgent action to address the crisis.