In pictures: 3D return for Bamiyan Buddha destroyed by Taliban
- Published
Afghanistan has marked two decades since the famous Bamiyan Buddhas were destroyed by the Taliban
The ancient sandstone carvings in Afghanistan's Bamiyan valley were once the world's tallest Buddhas - but they were lost forever when the Taliban blew them up 20 years ago.
One made a poignant return on Tuesday night in the form of a 3D projection, glowing in the rocky alcove where it used to stand.
It capped a day of ceremony marking the destruction of the centuries-old figures in March 2001.
The statues had been carved from the cliff in the early 6th and 7th Centuries AD, when Buddhism was the region's dominant religion.
"We do not want people to forget what a horrific crime was committed here," said Zahra Hussaini, co-organiser of the "A night with Buddha" event.
Locals and civil society activists formed a lantern-lit procession to the place where the Buddhas once stood
Hundreds gathered at the cliff, by a network of ancient caves
An Afghan policeman stands guard ahead of the event
A woman poses for a picture near the carved mountainside
A dancer performs during the commemoration ceremony
The 3D projection marks 20 years since the statues were blown up by the Taliban in March 2001 - the Salsal Buddha was 56m (155ft) high
On the road that led to the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the space that once housed a statue stands empty
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