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Reports and Analysis

Original reporting by the Afghan Witness team

2 May 2023

An Afghan journalist on censorship, misinformation and poverty under the Taliban

Faced with a moral dilemma, an Afghan journalist says he must choose between working for Taliban-approved media, or risking his life to report independently.

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An Afghan journalist on censorship, misinformation and poverty under the Taliban

28 Apr 2023

Taliban increase raids in response to recent attacks and seek to downplay ISKP threat

The Taliban claim to have killed various high-ranking and influential ISKP members, though verifiable evidence is limited.

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Taliban increase raids in response to recent attacks and seek to downplay ISKP threat

27 Apr 2023

Poppy eradication sparks clashes between Taliban and locals in Nangarhar

The economic impact of poppy eradication on local communities, and the lack of alternative forms of income, have the potential to spark confrontations.

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Poppy eradication sparks clashes between Taliban and locals in Nangarhar

26 Apr 2023

Pro-Taliban ‘fact-checking’ account takes on false accounts and problematic stories

By dismissing stories as ‘fake news’ and identifying fake profiles, the account utilises the weight and language of the ‘fact-checking’ brand, without doing the meaningful verification work required.

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Pro-Taliban ‘fact-checking’ account takes on false accounts and problematic stories

27 Mar 2023

Explosion near Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Kabul

The explosion occurred on the same road – in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – as the January 11 suicide bombing claimed by ISKP.

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Explosion near Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Kabul

17 Mar 2023

ISKP targets journalists in attack on Mazar-i-Sharif Tebyan Cultural Centre

This was the second ISKP-claimed attack targeting the Tebyan centre. In December 2017, the group claimed a suicide bombing at the Tebyan Cultural Centre in Kabul.

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ISKP targets journalists in attack on Mazar-i-Sharif Tebyan Cultural Centre

17 Mar 2023

Taliban display bodies of alleged ‘kidnappers’, ‘insurgents’ and ‘thieves’

In recent weeks, there has been a spate of incidents in Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat city in which the Taliban have displayed the bodies of men they describe as ‘kidnappers’, ‘insurgents’ or ‘thieves’.

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Taliban display bodies of alleged ‘kidnappers’, ‘insurgents’ and ‘thieves’

10 Mar 2023

ISKP claim two high-profile assassinations in Balkh and Herat

After eight weeks without any high-profile attacks in Afghanistan, ISKP target two high-ranking officials on consecutive days.

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ISKP claim two high-profile assassinations in Balkh and Herat

9 Mar 2023

After raid on alleged ISKP cell in Herat, ISKP claim setup and warn of retaliation

This is the first time ISKP have directly addressed reports of a Taliban raid.

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After raid on alleged ISKP cell in Herat, ISKP claim setup and warn of retaliation

8 Mar 2023

“Now our director is a man” – the Taliban’s ban on women NGO workers

Interviews with women in the sector reveal that some organisations have replaced their female directors with men to allow operations to continue, while one president of a women-focused NGO says she is using her personal savings to keep office doors open.

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“Now our director is a man” – the Taliban’s ban on women NGO workers
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