Smirking rifle-wielding Taliban fighters mark a year since Afghan takeover on PEDALOS

dailystar.co.uk:

Taliban fighters larked about on pedalos to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their Afghanistan takeover.The jihadi extremists took to the water on the lakes of the Band-e-Amir national park, dressed in camouflage or traditional outfits, as they brandished AK-47s.

It made for a bizarre sight, as the Taliban members looked to be having a great time, splashing around in the area nicknamed Afghanistan's Grand Canyon, as temperatures soared above 40C. READ MORE: Tour guide whose arm was ripped off by a hippo calls it a 'bad day at the office'The exact anniversary of the Taliban's violent takeover is tomorrow but the violent fanatics decided to start the party early whilst, in Kabul, a group of 40 women marched in front of the education ministry building.In the protest, concerning women's lack of work rights and political participation, the group, who did not wear face veils, carried an "August 15 is a black day" banner and chanted "bread, work and freedom".

They were eventually dispersed by Taliban gunfire into the air and sought refuge in shops after being chased down and beaten with rifle butts, according to reports, with some members of the media, who attended the march, also being attacked.It is not the first time the Taliban have been seen enjoying pedalo fun after pictures emerged last September of them at the same national park.To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.On that occasion, the gleeful gunmen's leisurely antics came just hours after female staff had been banned from going to work.The extremists took to the swan-shaped boats, while they were armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and Kalashnikov assault rifles.That previous bout of swanning.