Afghanistan on Tuesday marked the 106th anniversary of its independence from the British Empire with a statement vowing continued resistance to any form of aggression or occupation.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, run by the Taliban, said the nation’s history proves that foreign domination, regardless of its power, cannot endure. Afghanistan, after all, has a reputation of being the “graveyard of empires.”

The statement

"One hundred and six years ago, the proud Afghan people forced the colonial British Empire to recognize Afghanistan's full independence and return Afghan control of foreign policy … It is now our duty to the youth and future generations to follow in the footsteps of our forefathers, to stand firm and resolute against all forms of aggression and occupation," the government declared.

The statement recalled how Afghans fought against three global powers across different eras. After achieving independence in 1919, the country later resisted the Soviet Union during the 1980s and endured two decades of US occupation before the withdrawal of foreign forces in 2021.

According to the government, "overcoming the oppression of three world powers over the course of a century was the result of the unwavering faith, determination, and honor of the oppressed people, who stood firm in defense of their religion, beliefs, and independence."

Independence Day and the Treaty of Rawalpindi

Independence Day in Afghanistan commemorates the Treaty of Rawalpindi, signed on August 19, 1919, which ended the Third Anglo-Afghan War. The treaty recognized Afghanistan’s right to conduct its own foreign policy for the first time since the late 19th century.

The achievement came under King Amanullah Khan, who launched a campaign against British control shortly after ascending the throne. Though the conflict was brief, it compelled Britain, weakened by World War I, to concede Afghan sovereignty. The Soviet Union became the first country to recognize Afghanistan’s independence that same year.

Historical context of resistance

Afghanistan’s independence struggle was shaped by its role in the “Great Game,” the 19th-century rivalry between the British and Russian empires. Britain fought three Anglo-Afghan wars in attempts to secure control of the region, but each ended without lasting success.

Later, the Soviet invasion of 1979 sparked a decade-long war that cost millions of Afghan lives. Supported by the United States, Pakistan, and other international backers, Afghan fighters eventually forced Moscow to withdraw in 1989.

In 2001, the US launched its invasion after the September 11 attacks, leading to two decades of US occupation of Afghanistan and the US's longest war. The Taliban returned to power in August 2021, framing their rule as a continuation of Afghanistan’s long tradition of resisting external occupation.

Life in Afghanistan under the Taliban

While their resistance to US imperialism is admirable, since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed suffocating restrictions on women and girls, effectively erasing them from public life. Afghanistan is now the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is banned for females over the age of twelve. Reports confirm that nearly 2.5 million girls have been deprived of education.

These restrictions have intensified in recent years, extending beyond education to public life and humanitarian work. Women are barred from most forms of employment, cannot travel without a male guardian, and in many provinces are prohibited from speaking in public or appearing in the media.

The Taliban justify these policies as consistent with Islamic law, asserting that they safeguard women’s “fundamental rights” such as marriage, inheritance, and dowry. They argue that Western criticisms ignore cultural and religious contexts.

Additionally, Afghanistan is home to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The UN reports that nearly half of the country’s 46 million people require humanitarian assistance, with 9.5 million suffering severe food insecurity and 3.5 million children under five expected to be malnourished in 2025. Cuts in international funding have only exacerbated the humanitarian situation as they forced clinics, nutrition centers, and schools to shut down.