The Islamic Emirate said in a statement Friday on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan that “the invaders should learn from the successes of jihad in the past 100 years and no longer take steps against the freedom of Afghanistan.”

The Islamic Emirate described Soviet withdrawal day as a “proud day in the history of Afghanistan,” noting that Afghans managed to drive out a great power like the Soviet Union.

“The fact that Afghanistan has been liberated from occupation for the third time in the last 100 years by the help of Allah Almighty shows that the sense of independence among Afghans is strong and our Muslims have a strong determination and commitment to protect their religion,” the statement said.

The Islamic Emirate called on the people of the country to be vigilant against “all kinds of conspiracies and plots and to follow the path of their ancestors and protect their religion, belief and independence by maintaining Islamic determination and unity.”

Meanwhile, Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the High Council for National Reconciliation in the former government, called the victory over the Soviet Union “the end of a dark era in Afghanistan’s history” and a “miracle.”

“Jihad and righteous standing up of our people was unprecedented in the history of nations’ freedom struggles,” he said. “As a result of the sacrifices of the Afghan people, international relations changed and it paved way for the liberation of other deprived nations.”

“Unfortunately, Afghanistan suffered heavy human and financial loss in the 10-year occupation,” he said. “More than a million people were martyred, tens of thousands were disabled and millions more were forced to migrate abroad.”

The last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in 1989 after a decade of war.