On 9/11 anniversary, Afghans blame departed US forces for their woes

FILE PHOTO: Taliban soldiers are seen in a street in Herat, Afghanistan September 10, 2021. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

(Reuters) - War-weary residents of Kabul expressed anger and feelings of betrayal by the United States on Saturday, as the world marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that prompted a U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and the toppling of its Taliban rulers.

After a two-decade occupation, U.S. forces abruptly pulled out of Afghanistan last month, triggering the collapse of its Western-backed government and the Taliban's dramatic return to power.