After US President Joe Biden defended his decision to end Afghanistan’s 20 years of war, the Taliban on Wednesday prepared to display some of the military hardware they seized during their takeover of the country.

Islamist hardliners are celebrating the US’ withdrawal, which ended on Monday, as a major victory. 

As per an AFP journalist, there was a long line of green Humvees on a highway outside Kandahar, some with Taliban flags attached to aerials.

The build-up to the parade was captured in a video and posted on a pro-Taliban account, showing a helicopter flying overhead with the Taliban flag while the group’s fighters in headscarves waved.

Over the past few days, a Black Hawk helicopter has been seen flying over Kandahar, perhaps captained by a former Afghan Army member due to a lack of qualified pilots with the Taliban.

Ayno Maina, meanwhile, saw fighters manning multipurpose trucks that were used by US, NATO and Afghan forces during the two-decade war, while onlookers clambered over the vehicles.

Meanwhile, the United Nations warned of an upcoming “humanitarian catastrophe”, underscoring the massive challenges that the Taliban face as they step up from being an insurgent group to governing power.

US President Joe Biden, however, remained defiant.

“This is the right decision. A wise decision. And the best decision for America,” said Biden in an address to the nation.

Biden argued that America’s only choice was either “leaving or escalating”.

According to Biden, who has been slammed by critics for his handling of the withdrawal in which the US and its allies evacuated more than 122,000 in just two weeks, the withdrawal was an “extraordinary success”.

“No nation has ever done anything like it in all of history; only the United States had the capacity and the will and ability to do it,” said the US President.