World

Taliban now offers tweets for an English audience

Steven Nelson Associate Editor
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Technology has its benefits, the virulently anti-modern Taliban has recognized in issuing online news and propaganda. The English language now seems to have caught on too.

On Thursday the Taliban’s Twitter account, operated by the militant group’s publicist “Mostafa Ahmedi,” began issuing updates in English.

Tweets link to English entries on the website of “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” the name that the Taliban uses for its shadow government.

The tweets offer accounts of deathly attacks on United States, NATO, and Afghan security forces.

One of the first tweets stated, “11 US-NATO invaders killed, 11 wounded in clash amid ‘Operation Badar’: PAKITA, May 12.”

Another tweet read, “7 killed, 4 wounded as two supply trucks eliminated in Ghazni: GHAZNI, May 12 – As many as seven security guards…”

Other tweets claim credit for raids on supply convoys. “Fifth US tank obliterated in Nawzad: HELMAND, May. 12 – A US invaders tank was destroyed at around 09:00 am,” one tweet stated.

Death counts feature prominently in the Taliban tweets, one example reading, “34 killed, 23 enemy vehicles destroyed as US military supply convoy attacked: WARDAG, May 12.”

The accuracy of the tweets is difficult to confirm using credible news sources.