Taliban moves fast to secure position after siege, sets up committee on media relations

The Taliban said on Saturday that they are setting up a committee that will deal with the media. According to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the trilateral committee will include a Taliban representative from the culture commission, a deputy head of the association on media protection and an officer from the Kabul police. Jeremy Dear, the deputy general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists said on Friday that media workers are going through an "incredibly challenging time" after the Taliban had seized power in Afghanistan. He further added that journalists are receiving threats, and female reporters are not being allowed to work efficiently. Multiple media outlets have closed and since Taliban has the control of the country, they are trying to control the spread of news as much as possible.

Why are journalists so important in Afghanistan?

Journalists in Afghanistan have been providing the world with information from the ground level that has helped saved lives. Due to being able to see the situation from so close, diplomats of all the countries could work accordingly when it came to the timely evacuation of their citizens of Afghani immigrants. Journalists have also reported about the mess during the last few days as chaos erupted at the Kabul Airport. From the situation at the visa offices to people falling from the aircraft’s tires mid-air, everything was brought in front of the international media.

For all their good work, they have suffered tremendously. Local journalists have had to see their own people killed mercilessly and often being in a position to not do anything about it. Radio Television Afghanistan reporter Sahar Nasari said that the Taliban confiscated his camera and physically attacked his colleague as they were trying to record footage for a story. On July 30, an Indian journalist was brutally killed by the Taliban. At first, it looked like he was caught up in a crossfire between the Taliban and the Afghanistan government in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar City. The Taliban later said that they did not kill him as they ask all the journalists to coordinate with them and they will provide them with security.

(With ANI inputs)