Kabul - the Taliban once banned all television, music and cinema in Afghanistan, but now they are fighting their war via Twitter, the messaging network that revolutionized global communications online.
Islamic extremists sent their first tweet in English may 12 Pretender "attacked enemy in Khak-e-Safid," with a link to their site Web for more details on the killing rebel fighters police puppet at least 6.
The move to the English language on Twitter is the latest sign that the Taliban adopt modern technology at the battle of propaganda along the guerrilla ambushes, suicide attacks and mine explosions.
When they ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, almost all electronic products were banned as non-Islamic. Photographs of human beings live are illegal, and the property of a video player could lead to a public lashing.
Today, they send emails and text messages, free videos of attacks against international troops led by the United States and run a Web site that is outside of the repeated efforts to close.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan joins Twitter about six months ago," spokesman Taliban Zabiullah Mujahid told AFP, using the name of the Group of its time in power.
"We did so because we know Twitter is a popular social network in the West, and we want to make our voices heard.". "They used to hearing that one-sided news about the invaders, but now they can know reality."
Mujahid said that an official page of the Taliban on Facebook had been cut by the company earlier this year, but supporters still pages personal host passing on the news and information.
"We consider modern technologies, including the Internet as a blessing of God," he said, refusing to explain the change in attitude of the Taliban, since they toppled for harbouring Al-Qaeda after the September 11 attacks.
The Taliban feed Twitter @ alemarahweb - a reference to an Islamic State - sends several messages each day, mainly in Pashto and is followed by 4 200 people with rapid growth since the English number was introduced.
The coalition force led by NATO in Afghanistan Saturday used its own Twitter feed to post a reply saying: "what is that?" Taliban tweeting in English? "Lies are lies regardless of language."
Oddly, the Taliban Twitter account follows tweets sent by charity a British soldier, and a program of development of carpet weaving and a site linked to Islamic militants in the Caucasus.
"The Taliban have now discovered the magical power of the media technology and are widely using in their favour and to attract new recruits, said Mohammad Zia Bomia, Director of the Mahal press agency based in Kabul."
Its Web site sophisticated, currently at http://alemarah-iea.net, has for years been display information in Pashto, Dari, Arabic, Urdu and English - well that many of the claimed attacks and kills are exaggerated or false.
Videos on the site show the alleged atrocities coalition and Taliban attacks sequences accompanied by gunfire and background music.
The Taliban also say they broadcast Internet radio programs for two hours a day in some areas, despite the low web access in the country.
Intelligence Agency Afghan (NDS) concedes it fought to act against the presence on the Internet of the Taliban, saying the insurgents technology experts are based outside the country.
"We tried to identify and prevent their propaganda activities that they are against our national interest and the constitution," spokesman NDS said Lutfullah Mashal.
"Unfortunately they are almost all based outside the Afghanistan soil", he said, in a reference hidden in neighboring Pakistan.
Despite use of the technology of the Taliban, many Afghans warns that the group maintains strict name of anti-modern ideology that it appears in the decision of Kabul.
"They clearly express their objectives to take control again," putting an end to the current democratic system and impose their version of Sharia law, Afghan media analyst Sediqullah Tawhidi said.
"Looking at these objectives, we can be sure that they behave as before and ban all the signs of modernity and freedom if they return to power.".
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