textually.org: Afghan Taliban use phones for propaganda

March 31, 2012

Afghan Taliban use phones for propaganda

According to the BBC, Taliban insurgents are making use of widely-available mobile phones in Afghanistan as a propaganda tool.

The group is sending video and text messages to deter the population from supporting the Afghan government or joining the security forces.

They also project their authority in the south and east by imposing night-time bans on mobile services.

Meanwhile, an increasing number of Afghans upload Taliban religious chants and ringtones as a kind of travel insurance to avoid intimidation in areas with a heavy insurgent presence.

The clips sent by the Taliban to subscribers include beheadings, real-life suicide bombings and roadside bomb explosions.