Taliban and the Story of Extorting Journalists

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8am: The relationship between the Taliban and the media is defined by the interests of this group. During the Taliban’s first emirate, they shut down all visual, audio, and written media outlets, except for one or two Taliban-affiliated outlets like “Voice of Sharia,” to control public opinion. Even those who owned televisions and satellite dishes in their homes were forced to conceal them. In the area where we lived, during the initial period of Taliban rule, only one family, who provided the most lavish gifts and bribes to the governor and his personnel, was allowed to keep their satellite dish installed on their roof and watch television. The rest of the people had their televisions destroyed by the Taliban or had to hide them. Even in recent years, videos have been circulated showing Taliban fighters smashing radios and televisions. Some of their officials consider taking pictures and distributing them as forbidden and label photographers as sinners. However, in practice, this group benefits the most from the media in the country. All state-owned media outlets, whether visual, audio, or written, are under the control of the Taliban. After seizing power, they established several media outlets themselves, understanding the role of media in shaping public opinion and strengthening/weakening power. To reach a wider audience, Taliban media outlets such as Bakhtar News Agency, under the control of this group, are disseminated in Urdu, Arabic, English, and local languages. Additionally, Taliban officials, who theoretically consider photography a major sin, have flooded the media space and social networks with content from their group, including videos, images, texts, and infographics. Therefore, the Taliban’s relationship with the media is friendly as long as they promote the interests of this group, and sometimes they receive support. However, the media can become an enemy of the Taliban, and journalists may end up in prison for seeking the truth and portraying the true image of Afghanistan under Taliban rule, which is not what the Taliban want to be portrayed. Click here to read more (external link).

Up to 6,000 TTP militants have taken shelter in Afghanistan: Pakistani envoy

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TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud

Ariana: Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan Asif Durrani has said Islamabad has evidence that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is getting money from India through Afghan proxies, estimating that 5,000 to 6,000 TTP militants have taken shelter in Afghanistan. “If we include their families, then the number goes up to 70,000,” Durrani said on Saturday while speaking at a programme hosted by an Islamabad-based think tank on the Afghan peace process, Dawn newspaper reported. Click here to read more (external link).

Related

US Intelligence Report: Low Threat of Uprising in Afghanistan

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Tolo News: The Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community has stated that the near-term prospects for regime-threatening resistance in Afghanistan remain low. The annual report  reads that, large swathes of the Afghan public being weary of war and fearful of “Taliban” reprisals, and since armed remnants lack strong leadership and external support, the threats to the Islamic Emirate are low. Click here to read more (external link).

World Bank Report on Afghanistan: Decline in Exports and Economic Recession

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8am: Over the past two years, the Taliban have consistently claimed to improve Afghanistan’s economic situation and foster investment opportunities. They have sought to minimize the economic crisis among the populace and the global community by disseminating engineered information. However, the World Bank has reported an economic recession in Afghanistan, attributed to reduced economic activities and ongoing inflation. In its report titled “Afghanistan Economic Monitoring,” the bank disclosed that annual inflation in Afghanistan hit -10.2 percent in January 2024. Coal exports, once touted by the Taliban as a symbol of export growth, have plummeted by 87 percent. Nonetheless, economic experts argue that under Taliban rule, Afghanistan has not achieved competitive export levels. They maintain that coal exports to Pakistan, itself engulfed in an economic crisis, cannot alleviate the country’s backwardness, unemployment, and poverty. According to them, resolving the economic recession requires a conducive investment environment, contingent upon a legitimate and authoritative political framework with both domestic and international recognition. Click here to read more (external link).

Iran, Tajikistan Concerned By Drug Trafficking From Afghanistan

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Tolo News: The head of Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency stated that drugs from the large reserves in northern Afghanistan are being trafficked to Central Asian countries and the European Union.  “The threat to Central Asian countries, especially those bordering Afghanistan, is gradually increasing because the methamphetamine discovered in the region is produced in Afghanistan,” said Zafar Samad, the head of Tajikistan’s Anti-Drug Agency. Click here to read more (external link).

Taliban’s Oppression in Andarab Region Persists: Forced Displacement, Land Destruction Continues

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8am: Taliban, facing armed resistance in Panjshir and Andarab after Seizing control of Afghanistan, has been accused of widespread harassment and persecution of residents in these regions over the past nearly three years. According to sources, the group has detained and tortured hundreds of young men and adults from Panjshir province and Andarab regions. Sources in these areas claim that Taliban fighters are establishing bases among people’s farmlands and homes. Residents allege that the Taliban forcibly displaced people and relocated their families instead. Click here to read more (external link).