Overview

• Yosaf Aryubi’s viral 50-second clip opens with staged abduction scenes that pivot to tourists handling U.S.-government-stamped rifles and exploring Afghanistan’s landscapes in a tongue-in-cheek invitation.
• The Taliban’s media team has evolved since 2021 to actively use social platforms like X, Telegram and YouTube to disseminate government-aligned narratives, including this tourism push.
• The State Department continues to advise against all travel to Afghanistan under a Level 4 warning, emphasizing threats from terrorism, crime and the absence of U.S. consular services.
• Analysts and women’s rights activists view the promotional campaign as a calculated effort to polish the regime’s image while ignoring harsh restrictions on women’s freedoms.
• Afghan tour firms must operate under Taliban authorization, with companies like Raza Afghanistan navigating propaganda pressures and real security protocols to sell cultural and adventure packages.