(WaPo)
Afghans celebrating independence from British rule staged protests in Kabul and other cities Thursday, challenging Taliban fighters in scattered demonstrations, including at least one that turned deadly.
In the capital, men and women carried the black, red and green flags of the Afghan Republic, chanting “our flag, our identity,” according to videos posted online. In Asadabad in Konar province, several people were killed after the Taliban fired on a similar rally, Reuters reported, quoting a witness.
Why did you wait until the horse was out of the barn?
The protests raised the specter of wider popular opposition to the group, which swept to power across Afghanistan in a stunning offensive earlier this week.
