Social media, Sharia law, and 'friendly' foreign policy: The Taliban 2.0

Published 17 Aug,2021 via FRANCE 24 - As they completed their takeover of Afghanistan, the Taliban insisted that they would not revert to the brutal medieval rule that turned the hardline Islamist group into an international pariah in the late 1990s. Dubbed the Taliban 2.0 for their skilled use of social media, the militant's image revamp is being greeted by deep skepticism.

Two days after the fall of Kabul, TV viewers in Afghanistan watched a scene that would have been unthinkable under the former Taliban regime (1996-2001): An Afghan female presenter for the Tolo news channel interviewed a Taliban official. The host, Beheshta Arghand, who was seated 2.5 metres away from him, asked questions about the security situation in the Afghan capital. The privately-owned news channel also posted a video of another female journalist reporting from the streets of Kabul.

The broadcast came as Taliban leaders reiterated their message that their disciplined fighters would not go on a killing spree against its former enemies. In a press conference on August 17, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid showed a conciliatory face, confirming an amnesty for former members of the Afghan army and police. He also said that women would be allowed to work and study and be active in society "but within the framework of Islam".