Feature: Change in Taliban mindset sees Internet used as propaganda machine

The Taliban outfit during its six-year reign across 90 percent of Afghanistan until its collapse in late 2001 had banned the use of the Internet as un-Islamic practice.

However, the militant group, since its regrouping in 2006 and staging of a violent comeback has been widely using the modern information technology in its propaganda war over the past decade.

Contrary to its strict policies in the late 20th century, which outlawed snapping shots, photos, filming and banned the use of the Internet, the Taliban fighters have changed their mindset in the 21st century. They have been increasingly using the Internet to convey their messages and launch their propaganda war, by posting photos of their fighters and achievements on various battleground, online.

Presently, the Taliban outfit has several websites and publishes stories in national languages (Dari and Pashtu), regional and international languages, including Arabic and English, to release their activities and programs to Afghans and the global community.

To support their claims in the war against the Afghan government and NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission, the militant group usually posts on its websites the bodies of dead soldiers, military equipment and arrested security personnel.

The hardliner Taliban regime during its six-year iron-fisted rule in major parts of the country had also banned music, cinema, theatre, television and all other forms of entertainment, thus forcing artists to leave the country and escape to safer places.

Also during its rule, the Taliban banned photography and didn't allow people to take photos except in exceptional cases, such as receiving a passport and Tazkira or a national identity card which requires a photo.

Nevertheless, presently, almost all Taliban fighters have been using smartphones, to snap and broadcast their activities; posting the digital media on Facebook, Twitter and other popular international websites, a change unthinkable during the outfit's rule.

The group also posts its violent activities online including its deadly suicide attacks and the brutal killing of people, whom the insurgents term as "enemies" on its websites, alongside pictures of the fighters and their statements.

In print media and publications, during its rule, the Taliban often published photos of inanimate objects such as mountains, rivers and trees, instead of people or animals.

Nonetheless, the armed outfit, one-and-a-half decades after its collapse has resorted to the extensive use of modern information technology to communicate to the world.

The fighting force, in efforts to allay the concern of the global community about promoting extremism issued an online statement a couple of days ago, noting that the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" (the name of the ousted Taliban regime) wants to have friendly relations with all the world, especially the neighboring states and the Islamic nations.

Nevertheless, little has changed, according to locals, in areas controlled by Taliban militants in Afghanistan.

Girls, they have said, have no access to schools in Taliban-controlled areas and women are routinely stoned to death on charges of adultery. After chopping off the nose of his wife in the northern Faryab province, the male perpetrator found safe haven in the Taliban-controlled area in the Ghormach district, according to local media reports, with the Taliban yet to comment on the heinous issue. Endit