The Taliban’s network of proxy accounts on social media has gone offline following the nationwide shutdown of internet and telecommunications services, Afghanistan International has learned.
The accounts, which promoted the Taliban and attacked opponents under the names of politicians, journalists, artists and dozens of pseudonyms, have not posted for the past 24 hours. Social media messaging has been a central tool in the group’s propaganda strategy.
Taliban officials, including Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, had reportedly hired dozens of people to run these campaigns.
The Taliban last week ordered a complete suspension of fibre-optic internet and mobile networks, a move that drew widespread international criticism. The blackout has also stripped platforms such as X and Facebook of Taliban-aligned propaganda.
Sources previously told Afghanistan International that the Taliban’s defence and interior ministers, as well as its intelligence chief, maintained multiple social media groups staffed by dozens of paid propagandists.
