How much of afghanistan does the taliban control

But as public backlash grew, the Taliban determined that the beheadings were alienating the Afghan people. It reverted to shooting its prisoners instead. Later, this constellation of websites would grow to include downloadable audio and video propaganda.

Curiously—and perhaps because of its single-minded focus on capturing Afghan territory—the Taliban did not seek to cultivate the same web-forum and chatroom culture that characterized global Islamic terror movements of the period.

Yet even as it sought to influence and manipulate it, the group exhibited deep anger toward media. In a Pashto-language statement, the Taliban complained about widespread bias in news reports, threatening violence if the situation did not improve.

By , however, Taliban communications had been consolidated under the control of a few individuals. He sat in the chair of the former Afghan information minister assassinated by the Taliban only several weeks earlier. In , the Taliban posted an English-language message on its website regarding the stakes and objectives of its information war. In short, it accused the West of a concerted disinformation campaign:. On the other hand, the mainstream media do not publish the stand of Mujahideen regarding every event, fearing the invading Americans will accuse them of helping the so-called terrorists.

In fact, the world has now been taken hostage by the media suffocation unleashed by the colonialism. This department is charged with spreading lies against Mujahideen. They spend millions of dollars to try to make it possible that the lies fabricated in the Pentagon reach every ear in the world. It was no longer enough to simply bombard Western journalists with press releases—the militants needed an online network of advocates and supporters.

The answer lay in social media. Seeking to expand the reach of its propaganda videos, the Taliban joined YouTube in By , the Taliban was posting regular updates to Facebook and Twitter. Whereas it had once been largely insular, the group was now cultivating a network of friendly bloggers.

In turn, these digital voices worked to associate the Taliban more directly with pan-Islamic and pan-Arab causes, seeking to tie its mission to popular movements such as the Arab Spring. The insurgents had re-established effective shadow governments in several Afghan provinces and become more militarily aggressive , often engaging US and NATO soldiers directly.

But the Taliban never acknowledged the thousands of civilian deaths that it caused. When the horror of the Syrian civil war gave rise to the Islamic State beginning in , the Taliban watched carefully.

In , the Taliban announced the launch of Telegram and WhatsApp channels. Video quality notably increased, and there was a new emphasis on action—typically firefights or suicide attacks—set to Islamic nasheeds chants and sometimes filmed by drones. During a series of assaults on the city of Kunduz throughout and , a surprising number of Taliban fighters carried smartphones.

In reality, it only took a few short days. Who are the Taliban and how did they take control of Afghanistan so swiftly? More Videos Clarissa Ward pushes Taliban fighter about Afghan women's rights. Refugees start new life in America after fleeing Afghanistan.

Afghan girls' robotics team speaks out after fleeing Taliban. Gunshots at the airport and tents in Germany. Hear one family's journey out of Afghanistan. Shia mosque in Afghanistan devastated by explosion. What we know about the deadly blast in Kabul. CNN speaks to family of victims killed by US military's wrongful drone strike. See what's happening to Afghan refugees arriving in the UK. Ward: Afghanistan is a humanitarian crisis in the making. As Taliban took over, she sent a message to her old teacher.

See what happened next. Hear from female judge hiding in Afghanistan as Taliban threaten her for her work. Kill all of us? Stranded Afghan military pilots on the move toward freedom. On Sunday, Taliban militants retook Afghanistan's capital, almost two decades after they were driven from Kabul by US troops. Although Afghan security forces were well funded and well equipped, they put up little resistance as Taliban militants seized much of the country following the withdrawal of US troops beginning in early July.

If the Afghan government holds out, it will remain weak and fragile and Taliban momentum will need to be reversed or stopped for a while before it is likely to negotiate any serious compromise political settlement. If the Taliban are able to take control more rapidly, it will face even more daunting governance challenges: the Taliban alienate some ethnic groups, the vast majority of Afghan citizens do not want to live under their rule, they are unlikely to attract significant donor aid given recent atrocities and repressive policies, and they have no apparent plan or experience running a modern state.

Even if it takes some time for routed anti-Taliban forces to regroup, a counter-revolution seems inevitable unless a balanced and inclusive political settlement can be reached.

As the Taliban advances, Washington should do the following:. They are holding negotiations with senior politicians, including leaders in the former government. They have pledged to enforce Islamic law but encouraged women to join their government and say they will provide a secure environment for the return of normal life after decades of war.

But many Afghans distrust the Taliban and fear that their rule will be violent and oppressive. Afghans are also concerned about the breakdown of security after thousands of prisoners were freed and security forces melted away in the face of the Taliban advance. Many fear it could mean a severe rollback of rights.

Afghan women have made major gains since the overthrow of the Taliban. Many are worried they will once again be confined to their homes. The status of women varies across the Muslim world and often within a single country. Afghanistan has always been very conservative, especially outside major cities. The Taliban have pledged to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base for attacks on other countries, a key U.

But American military officials are worried. On the other hand, technological advances over the last 20 years allow the U. The Taliban paid a heavy price for their role in the Sept.