News Summary

• Thousands of Taliban supporters poured into central Kabul, waving white flags and chanting religious slogans.
• Authorities marked five years since the group swept back into power and brought an end to the Western-backed republic.
• Heavily armed fighters stood guard around the area as senior officials addressed the crowd.
• Taliban leaders used the anniversary to claim credit for restoring security and national sovereignty, pointing to the absence of large-scale fighting.
• Officials repeated longstanding demands for international recognition, arguing that engagement rather than sanctions and isolation is needed to stabilise the country.