Afghan Witness Reports

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.

The Etilaatroz team have been working steadily with AW to learn fact-checking methodologies and develop open source skills.

Pro-Taliban accounts began sharing posts commemorating the anniversary of the 1993 Hazara massacre on X on February 10 to denounce Massoud’s military operation, whilst anti-Taliban activists called out pro-Taliban attempts to exacerbate ethnic tensions

Targeted intimidation technique or unpaid rent dispute? Conflicting claims regarding the forced closure of Nan FM Radio, Khost, illustrate the Taliban’s tensions with media entities

From breaking barriers and challenging taboos, to facing widespread restrictions, AW looks at the experience of Afghanistan’s female journalists since the Taliban’s takeover.

At least 13 journalists were reportedly arrested by the Taliban between July 20 and August 13.

Afghan Witness reflects on some of the key takeaways of the project’s collaborative event with Etilaatroz. How have Afghan media outlets had to adapt under Taliban rule – and how can open source help them?

Report by Afghan Witness details more than 3,000 claims of human rights violations in Afghanistan under Taliban rule

Faced with a moral dilemma, an Afghan journalist says he must choose between working for Taliban-approved media, or risking his life to report independently.