Teenagers Appear as Security Forces in Taliban Group’s Propaganda Video
In a recent propaganda video released by the Taliban group, teenagers bearing the group’s insignia and flag are shown conducting a military-style stop and search operation. Experts believe this immature display of the Taliban’s ideology, intended to showcase service to the people, inadvertently exposes the involved youth and backfires instead of building public trust.
Bilal Sarwary, a former journalist, reposted the video saying, “At this age, these teenage boys need nurturing and care, but instead they are surrounded by weapons, military tactics, and unnecessary shows of force. This situation should never have happened.”
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the group has closed schools and universities to girls and promoted what is said to be mostly extremism and the group’s interpretation of religion in boys’ schools and universities. Experts argue that increasing public confidence requires genuine political actions alongside socio-economic programs, not an insurgent-style propaganda campaign the Taliban have adopted.
