People have been left aghast as footage surfaced appearing to show armed Taliban soldiers riding in bumper cars while Afghan civilians fear for their future.
Videos allegedly showing members of the Taliban enjoying themselves at an amusement park have circulated on social media as scenes emerge of countless Afghan citizens trying to flee the country after the militant group took over.
The Taliban declared victory on Sunday, August 15, after the insurgents breached the presidential palace and declared that the war is "over."
Mohammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban, told Al Jazeera TV: "Today is a great day for the Afghan people and the mujahideen. They have witnessed the fruits of their efforts and their sacrifices for 20 years. Thanks to God, the war is over in the country."
Now the Taliban appear to be reveling in their newfound control of Afghanistan, nearly two decades after being removed from power as a result of US intervention, per BBC News.
Check out bizarre footage allegedly showing members of the Taliban at an amusement park below:The video was shared to Twitter by Reuters journalist Hamid Shalizi.
It goes without saying that many were appalled by the footage of an extremist group essentially letting their hair down while fear and panic emerge amongst ordinary citizens.
One person shared: "Watching this is f***ing tragic because you realize what a world we could be living in if everyone was afforded the same privilege of an unbroken childhood not ravaged by generational war trauma."
Another remarked: "Taliban playing bumper cars, I think it is the most surreal image we can see of the conflict in #Afghanistan and the fall of #Kabul #Taliban."
A third person wrote: "The Taliban have been playing around in a Kabul fairground. I think this is the first time I’ve seen a militant group riding dodgems."
A final person said: "Taliban with assault rifles smashing about on the dodgems. The world's gone mad."
Over the weekend, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was forced to flee the country amid the sudden takeover by the Taliban and is believed to have made his way to Tashkent, per CNBC.
According to the outlet, Ghani said he had escaped for the purpose of preventing "a flood of bloodshed."
He said: "The Taliban have won with the judgment of their swords and guns, and are now responsible for the honor, property, and self-preservation of their countrymen."