Reports

In September 2023, the Taliban announced that they had signed more than $6.5 billion in new mining deals. Afghan Witness delves into the sector dubbed the Taliban’s “cash cow”.

At the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Moscow and the Taliban signalled closer ties, while Russian involvement in a railroad project in Herat underscores strengthening relations.

The recent usage of AI-generated videos to claim ISKP attacks has stirred controversy within pro-IS communities over the religious permissibility of AI technology. Despite increased accessibility to AI tools for propaganda, the isolated efforts and mixed reception suggest AI use in extremist content may remain limited.

ISKP has stepped up its attacks on Taliban officials, recently killing Mullah Hassan in Ghor province and expanding its operations across Afghanistan. The group's increasing activity from Kabul to Herat and Kandahar highlights a growing challenge for the Taliban's efforts to control them.

On May 17, 2024, reports of a drone strike targeting the Taliban in Logar province surfaced on social media, leading to widespread speculation and conflicting accounts about the incident. Despite official denials of an attack by Taliban authorities, the claim continued to be spread, both by legitimate accounts and by bots.

In a rare and unannounced visit to Kabul, Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada addressed officials, underscoring unity and anti-corruption measures, while insurgent groups seized the opportunity to launch attacks in the capital.

A surge in verified Taliban accounts on X, formerly Twitter, highlights the group's strategic use of the platform's features to spread propaganda and legitimise their presence. This trend raises questions about the implications of the verification feature and the moderation of extremist content on social media.

CIR, together with Detector Media, reveal the network of actors behind the “media occupation” of Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories.

An armed attack took place in Bamyan city, confirmed by Taliban officials, which killed three Spanish tourists and three Afghans, and injured seven others. It was claimed by ISKP as targeting Christian coalition citizens and their Shiite companions.

On 5 May 2024, two local media outlets shared an old video, previously circulated in 2019 and 2022, showing Taliban members harassing an elderly Shia Ismaili man in Badakhshan; AW investigators confirmed the video’s age, highlighting ongoing repressions against Ismailis despite the footage being presented as new.

On 9 May 2024, Kochi nomads protested against the Taliban's plans to demolish their homes on the Jalalabad-Torkham highway, leading to Taliban gunfire that caused several casualties, amid ongoing claims of land usurpation and forced displacements.

On 3 and 4 May 2024, protests in Badakhshan's Darayim and Argo districts erupted after clashes between locals and Taliban counter-narcotics teams over the destruction of poppy fields, resulting in deaths and ongoing protests despite Taliban attempts to resolve the issue.