Feature image: X/@mustaghfir_g313
The Taliban’s response to the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria included an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, social media posts by Taliban officials and pro-Taliban accounts, and widespread celebrations across Afghanistan, featuring large gatherings and the distribution of sweets in various provinces.
Taliban official statement
Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria on 8 December 2024, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement in Pashto, Arabic, and English. The statement congratulated “the leadership of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) movement and the people of Syria” on what it described as “the recent development resulting in the elimination of the causes of war and instability”.
The Taliban statement also expressed “hope that the remaining stages of the Syrian revolution” would lead to the establishment of a “sovereign and service-oriented Islamic government”, further emphasising the need for national reconciliation, avoidance of divisions and retribution, and a general amnesty to foster unity. The statement also urged Syria to adopt a constructive foreign policy, free from external interference, and called on foreign actors to engage positively with Syria’s new leadership, as well as one another.
Dr. Aaron Y. Zelin, a prominent researcher of Islamist violent extremist organisations (VEOs), noted in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account that the Taliban’s statement marked the first state-level congratulation to HTS. He further commented, “No doubt there will be relations between the two”.
Social media reactions from Taliban and pro-Taliban accounts
On 8 December 2024, Mustaghfir Gurbuz, the Taliban spokesperson for the governor of Khost, posted to his X account, which has over 20,000 followers, stating, “The faithful people of Khost celebrate the victory of their Syrian Mujahideen and people. We share blood and love with them”.
He also used his account to invite the province’s residents to join a celebratory gathering “organized by the people of Khost, to celebrate the historic conquest of the Syrian capital Damascus by the Mujahideen of Tahrir al-Sham”. Gurbuz later shared photos and videos of the event to his account. A video of the gathering shared by Gurbuz was accompanied by a nasheed with lyrics declaring, “Allah’s will paves the way, and borders will be opened. Those who want to go to Palestine (to fight against Israel), raise your hands”.
An X account attributed to Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, with nearly 249,000 followers, shared a photo of HTS leader Ahmed Hussein al-Shar’a, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani. The post included a quote from the Quran, translated as “Allah is all-sufficient for us, and the best one to trust in” [3:173], along with heart and up-pointing index finger emojis, a symbol indicating Islamic belief in the oneness of God.
On 8 December 2024, Abdullah Azzam, the chief of office for the Taliban’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, shared a poem in Pashto on his X account (formerly Twitter), which has over 87,000 followers. The poem’s meaning conveyed that Kabul stands as a beacon of freedom and victory, inspiring first Gaza and now Syria.
A pro-Taliban X account (formerly Twitter) with over 278,000 followers, Muslim Kandozi, shared multiple posts about the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria. One post featured photos of abandoned military uniforms from former Syrian government soldiers in both Afghanistan and Syria, accompanied by the caption, “Syrians also set a record like us, forcing people to leave their pants”. In another post, the account stated, “In terms of conquests, Afghanistan was the first to achieve freedom, followed by Syria. Who do you think will be the third?”.
On 8 December 2024, a pro-Taliban X account (formerly Twitter) with nearly 79,000 followers drew parallels between the rapid fall of Syria and the Taliban’s campaign for control of Afghanistan, highlighting that both events occurred within 11 days, and both countries were taken under the white Prophetic flag. The post framed the developments as a significant triumph for the Muslim ummah [community].
Other pro-Taliban accounts highlighted the similarities between the fates of the rulers of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Syria, who were forced to flee from their respective countries. Some pro-Taliban accounts suggested in their posts that the collapse of regimes in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Syria might indicate a broader trend, speculating that Pakistan’s regime could be next to fall.
On 10 December 2024, a Taliban social media activist, Wakeel Ahmad Mubariz, with nearly 65,000 followers on X, posted a video message in English describing the victory in Syria as “a moment of profound joy and pride for the entire Islamic ummah”. He attributed the achievement to “countless sacrifices and decades of unwavering struggle”.
Mubariz highlighted that the victory had sparked widespread celebrations across the Islamic world, particularly in Afghanistan, asserting that “every Mujahid has expressed heartfelt happiness over the success of the Syrian Mujahideen”. He concluded his message by reciting the official statement of the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
AW observed that the Arabic and English messages from Taliban and pro-Taliban figures appeared designed to reach a wider audience, particularly Arab communities and the international community. These messages aimed to emphasise the Taliban’s status as an Islamic Emirate, and its relevance to significant developments in the region and the broader Islamic world.
Celebratory gatherings
On 8 December 2024, several pro-Taliban accounts shared video footage of a gathering attended by hundreds at the Sargardan roundabout [33.339932, 69.921790] in Khost City, reportedly organised to celebrate the victory of the ‘mujahideen’ in Syria. In addition to coverage by Afghan media, Al Jazeera Arabic also reported on the gathering in Khost via its X account.
Participants were seen carrying Taliban flags, the white flag bearing the Islamic shahada also used by Syrian opposition groups, while chanting slogans in Pashto and Arabic expressing support for jihad, congratulating the Syrian mujahideen on their victory, and voicing solidarity with Palestine. A few Palestinian flags were also visible in the crowd.
One participant, dressed similarly to HTS leader al-Julani, addressed the leader of HTS in English, stating that his soldiers are strong and urging him to stand in support of everyone, everywhere, and at all times. Another participant, speaking in Arabic, congratulated Syrians on their victory, adding that they had revived the legacy of Mullah Umar, the founder and first leader of the Taliban movement, by destroying idols and statues in Syria. “We are with you, as Muslims are like one body”, he declared, concluding with a prayer, “We ask Allah to grant a similar victory to Palestine”.
