Kabul: Ever since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, some netizens are spreading misinformation on social media. Most of them are circulating old videos and posts to spread rumours.
In one such attempt, a video has been circulated on social media claiming that women are being auctioned in Afghanistan. In the video, chained burqa-clad women are seen sitting on the street while men are inviting people to buy them.
Sharing the video, a Twitterati wrote, “Once upon a time, these Afghans auctioned our daughters for two dinars. Now, their own daughters are being auctioned”.
However, the claim is found to be false.
Upon reverse search, it is found that the video is of a mock Islamic State slave auction in London. It was organized by a group of Kurdish diaspora to raise awareness of the alleged atrocities of ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
ISIS during their control over Iraq and Syria has pushed thousands of girls and women into sexual slavery. Even a report by United Nations highlighted the atrocities faced by Yazidi women in Iraq.
Other fake claims
It is not the only rumours that are being spread on social media after the Taliban take over Afghanistan. Many false claims are being made.
According to AFP Fact Check, photos of people being rescued from the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan are being circulated by claiming that they show evacuation of Afghans by the US air force.
Sharing a photograph of a group of girls wearing short skirts, a post claimed that it shows Afghan women in the 1970s. However, on performing a reverse search, it was found that the girls in the photograph are Tehran students in 1971.
Current situation in Afghanistan
The Panjshir based anti-Taliban movement in Afghanistan has made gains in the northern Baghlan province as talks to form a new government continues.
Fighters of the self-styled “Resistance-2” against the Taliban in Panjshir said that they have managed to retake Salah and Banu districts in Baghlan after killing “dozens” of Taliban fighters.
Panjshir is the only one of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces that is yet to fall to the militants, TRT World reported.