Afghanistan Marks 102nd Independence Day on August 19, 2021; Taliban Renames Country As 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan'

On August 19, Afghanistan’s 102^nd Independence Day, the Taliban officially declared the country as an 'Islamic Emirate'. The Taliban on August 19 changed Afghanistan's name to 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan'. Reuters reported that several people were killed on August 19 in Asadabad when Taliban fighters fired on people waving the national flag at an Independence Day rally. This comes a day after three people were killed while they were protesting in Jalalabad. People have been protesting across the country by holding the national flag and pulling down the Taliban flag. These are seen as the first signs of opposition to the Taliban since they took over the country. Many women were seen taking part in the protests. Amrullah Saleh, first Vice President who is trying to rally opposition to the Taliban, expressed support for the protests. Cricketer Rashid Khan tweeted, “Today let us take some time to value our nation and never forget the sacrifices.”