That move has prompted a backlash among those who have worked in the country and have seen the useful role that WhatsApp has played in Taliban operations as it seeks to operate as a government — as opposed to an armed insurgency. WhatsApp, which functions as a primary way Afghans communicate with each other in a country with a rudimentary telecommunications infrastructure, for several years has allowed people in areas where the Taliban had substantial power to register complaints and concerns with the group, including about civilian deaths.

Source: Washington Post August 18, 2021 13:02 UTC