The 90,000-camera surveillance network used by the Taliban to monitor the Afghan people has captured global attention. This extensive network surveils everything from vehicle license plates to facial expressions. The Taliban police chief states, “We are monitoring the entire city of Kabul from here.” In the past three years, human rights groups have expressed concerns about this surveillance network due to a series of cruel measures by Taliban officials that particularly restrict the rights and freedoms of women. Taliban officials claim that only the police have access to the camera network and that the images are not reviewed by the “morality police.”

The British broadcaster BBC reported on the camera network used by the Taliban to monitor the Afghan population. According to the report, forces affiliated with the Taliban have established a large surveillance network consisting of around 90,000 cameras. In a crowded control center, surrounded by dozens of television screens, the Taliban police force monitors the daily lives of millions of people.

“MONITORING THE ENTIRE CITY” A spokesperson for the Taliban police chief, Halid Zadran, showed the giant screens, saying, “We are monitoring the entire city of Kabul from here.” Officials claim that this kind of surveillance will help in combating crime. However, critics are concerned that it will be used to suppress opponents and to monitor the strict moral rules applied by the Taliban government according to Sharia law.

FROM LICENSE PLATES TO FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

BBC became the first international broadcaster to have the opportunity to see the system live. In the control room, police officers monitor live feeds from thousands of cameras, closely following the lives of six million people living in Kabul. According to officials, everything is monitored here, from license plates to facial expressions. They say, “In some neighborhoods, when we notice groups of people using drugs, engaging in criminal activities, or suspected of being involved in something suspicious, we immediately contact the local police.”

THERE WERE 850 CAMERAS BEFORE THE TALIBAN With the withdrawal of the US in 2021, the Taliban first took control of Kabul and then the entire Afghanistan. The report highlights that before this date, there were only 850 security cameras in the capital. The newly established gigantic monitoring system shows how meticulous the Taliban is about “maintaining law and order.”

FACIAL RECOGNITION FEATURE INCLUDED However, in the last three years, Taliban officials have implemented a series of cruel measures, especially restricting the rights and freedoms of women. The Taliban government has not been officially recognized by any other country.

The surveillance system used in Kabul offers the option of tracking people through facial recognition. Images appear categorized in the corner of a screen based on age range, gender, and whether the individual has a beard or a face mask.

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS CONCERNED Nevertheless, human rights groups are concerned about how long individuals are being monitored. Amnesty International states, “Under the guise of national security, the camera system created sets a template for the Taliban to continue its brutal policies that violate the fundamental rights, especially of women in public spaces.” However, Taliban officials claim that only the police have access to the camera network and that the images are not reviewed by the “morality police.”