Hours after the final foreign forces flew out of Afghanistan, a group of Taliban leaders walked victorious through the airport, flanked by their elite "Badri 313" guards, to inspect what had been left behind. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid -- tipped to be minister of information when a new government is named -- led a group of officials onto the runway, his usual stoic expression replaced by a broad grin. The special forces unit posed for pictures, brandishing US M-16 rifles and flying the Taliban's white flag. The atmosphere was one of triumph and victory, but all around was evidence of the chaotic withdrawal of US troops after a 20-year occupation, and the hurried evacuation of more than 120,000 people fearful of the Taliban's return to power. ++COMPLETES VIDI9LX8NW_EN, VIDI9LX7DV_EN, VIDI9LX76R_EN and VIDI9LX69Q_EN++

Interested in licensing this video ? Get in touch 👉 http://u.afp.com/UBbQ
N.B.: AFP’s services and content are for professional use only