RASC News Agency: Over the past year, the Taliban have strategically intensified their efforts to build and manage online platforms as part of a broader campaign to reshape their image. Social media has become a pivotal tool in their arsenal, allowing them to wield soft power more effectively. Social media analysts highlight that the Taliban have long understood the influence of digital platforms in shaping public perceptions and controlling narratives. Since the early stages of their conflict with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the group has leveraged these platforms with the support of intelligence agencies from Pakistan and certain regional allies. This external assistance has enabled the Taliban to train their operatives in digital propaganda, transforming their efforts into a well-organized mechanism for promoting their ideology.
Following their return to power, the Taliban have intensified their suppression of free speech and implemented extensive censorship measures. These actions have further systematized and formalized their media operations, allowing them to establish professional teams that include propagandists and paid collaborators. These teams have significantly enhanced the Taliban’s social media presence while systematically silencing opposition voices. Experts reveal that the Taliban’s digital campaigns are overseen by their Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, and General Directorate of Intelligence. Organized groups such as “Omari Defenders,” “Virtual Badri Martyrs,” and “Imarati Ababeel” exemplify their structured approach to online propaganda. These groups are tasked with defending the Taliban regime and undermining its adversaries.
Operating under fake profiles that mimic diverse ethnic, gender, and social identities, these propagandists work to bolster the Taliban’s digital image while orchestrating targeted campaigns against their critics. Reports indicate that hundreds of young individuals have been recruited to assist in these efforts for minimal financial compensation. Asadullah, a social affairs expert, explains that Taliban-affiliated accounts engage in spreading disinformation, launching character attacks on opponents, ridiculing dissenters, and issuing direct threats. He notes that many of these operatives are based in Kabul and other major cities, benefiting from substantial financial and logistical support. With monthly salaries ranging between 20,000 and 40,000 kabuli rupees and access to advanced equipment, the Taliban’s significant investment in digital propaganda becomes evident.
Observers argue that the Taliban also exploit these platforms to disseminate their ideological narrative and manipulate impressionable youths, indoctrinating them to align with the group’s agenda. Earlier reports from Panjshir and Ghor highlighted that the Taliban coerced local youth into promoting their cause on social media in exchange for negligible monetary rewards. This strategy not only strengthens their online presence but also suppresses alternative perspectives in Afghanistan’s increasingly restricted digital landscape.
