http://mashable.com/2011/05/12/talibans-twitter-account-starts-tweeting-in-english/Taliban’s Twitter Account Starts Tweeting in EnglishThe Taliban has extended its propaganda efforts into the social media realm, sending its first tweet in English from the handle @alemarahweb.
The account started tweeting in Pashtun in December 19. Its roughly 750 tweets detail what the Guardian calls “highly exaggerated reports” of strikes against the Taliban’s enemies. As of Thursday, some of these tweets have been written in English. Most of them are death tolls.
This matches the message that the Taliban has distributed through its spokesmen and other media, including the Internet. Despite declaring the Internet unholy and banning its use for millions of Afghan citizens in 2000, the Taliban has maintained a website since at least 2001.
When the Guardian pointed out the account this morning, it had just 224 followers. Now the tally is about 1,200 and rising fast. @alemarahweb itself, however, only follows 12 accounts, including a combat advisor to the Afghan Army, a charity that teaches carpet weaving and an educational children’s circus.
