New Delhi: Afghanistan’s ambassador to Sri Lanka M. Ashraf Haidari Sunday hit out at a BBC correspondent on social media over the journalist’s comments about the violence in Afghanistan.
“The Taliban are closing in on a number of Afghan cities, launching major military assaults on them… but at least, from what I’ve seen, they don’t seem to be using suicide cars bombers — previously a favoured tactic… are they holding this back until Sept? Or just stopped them? (sic),” Secunder Kermani, BBC’s Pakistan and Afghanistan correspondent for the last four years, posted in a tweet.
Haidari responded: “A typical BBC reporter, hardly daring to adhere to the basic principles of balanced journalism…” He added that the journalist should have also mentioned the number of casualties at the hands of Taliban, “the foreign madrassas that brainwash youth” and “named the state owning this enterprise”.
A typical BBC reporter, hardly daring to adhere to the basic principles of balanced journalism, which would a) report Taliban's casualties by 100s daily, b) the foreign madrassas that brainwash youth and send them to die and destroy, and c) name the state owning this enterprise. https://t.co/WGIjXv2gyD
— Ambassador M. Ashraf Haidari (@MAshrafHaidari) August 1, 2021
Ever since the US and allies began withdrawing troops from Afghanistan last month, there has been an uptick in violence in the region as fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security forces has intensified. As many as 2,000 civilians have been killed since 14 April, and 2,200 injured.
Taliban has also captured several districts, including Takhar, Afghanistan’s northeastern province, and seized key border crossings.
Also read: India right to wait till Taliban comes in full view. No need to rush into an ‘Afghan strategy’
BBC presenter and chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet responded to the ambassador by distinguishing social media from journalism.
“Thank you for following BBC coverage. Please don’t judge us by very short tweets which can only say so much. We are all trying to get as much information as we can. Grateful for your input,” she said.
Thank you for following BBC coverage. Please don't judge us by very short tweets which can only say so much. We are all trying to get as much information as we can. Grateful for your input.
— lyse doucet (@bbclysedoucet) August 1, 2021
To this, Haidari said: “In today’s world of instant info sharing, very few care about the link in the tweet but what the tweet itself reports”.
Amid the recent violence, Taliban negotiators holding peace talks with the Afghan government have tried to project a ‘softer’ image of the group by promising that girls can attend school and women will be allowed to work when it comes to power.
In early July, a statement purportedly issued by the Taliban ordering villagers to marry off daughters and widows to the group’s foot soldiers, was shared on social media.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the group, denied issuing any such statement. “These are baseless claims … They are rumours spread using fabricated papers,” he said.
(Edited by Manasa Mohan)
Also read: The Taliban in Afghanistan has not changed. Just ask women