Afghan Witness Reports

First calls for attacks in the territory marks a strategic shift for the group

Using official channels and unofficial pro-NRF accounts, the group promotes its stance to the U.S. and appeals for tougher anti-Taliban policy

Lectures by female scholar and a children’s play among strategies to promote jihadi ideology

Boy allegedly killed by Taliban after accusing multiple commanders of rape in Farah province interrogation video

Taliban ban TikTok and PUBG, restrict controversial discussions in media and target political analysts

Their research offers fresh perspectives on key issues and under-reported stories concerning land rights, media freedom, and women’s digital activism in Afghanistan.

In August 2024, the Taliban arrested two social media activists, Khetabullah Bangakh and Abdul Rahman Gulab, for spreading anti-Taliban content. Both were featured in confession videos pledging support to the Taliban.

The Taliban's new vice and virtue law, ratified in July 2024, mandates severe restrictions on women's dress, public behaviour, and transportation, while also imposing limitations on the media and minorities.

The recent usage of AI-generated videos to claim ISKP attacks has stirred controversy within pro-IS communities over the religious permissibility of AI technology. Despite increased accessibility to AI tools for propaganda, the isolated efforts and mixed reception suggest AI use in extremist content may remain limited.

On May 17, 2024, reports of a drone strike targeting the Taliban in Logar province surfaced on social media, leading to widespread speculation and conflicting accounts about the incident. Despite official denials of an attack by Taliban authorities, the claim continued to be spread, both by legitimate accounts and by bots.

A surge in verified Taliban accounts on X, formerly Twitter, highlights the group's strategic use of the platform's features to spread propaganda and legitimise their presence. This trend raises questions about the implications of the verification feature and the moderation of extremist content on social media.

The Afghan media landscape has been under sustained pressure since the Taliban takeover, with the closure of two TV channels linked to political parties and a series of journalist detentions in recent weeks, indicating the Taliban's ongoing efforts to control the media landscape.