London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Google locks Afghan gov’t email accounts as Taliban seek retribution

Google locks Afghan gov’t email accounts as Taliban seek retribution

Days after the Taliban entered Kabul on Aug. 15, Google-owned YouTube said it would "terminate" any account it believes to be operated by the extremist group

Google has temporarily locked some Afghan government email accounts in an apparent attempt to head off the Taliban’s hunt for the identities of former officials who worked with the recently collapsed US-backed administration.

"In consultation with experts, we are continuously assessing the situation in Afghanistan. We are taking temporary actions to secure relevant accounts, as information continues to come in," a Google spokesperson said in a statement obtained by The Post.

It was not immediately clear how many accounts were affected by the tech giant’s action, which was first reported by Reuters.

The swiftness of the Afghan government’s fall at the hands of the Taliban last month has raised fears that the Islamic fundamentalists will take advantage of access to nearly two decades of official files to identify and take revenge on those who worked with and for the Kabul authorities, as well as other Western-backed institutions.

One former Afghan government employee told Reuters that the Taliban had asked him to preserve data held on servers belonging to the ministry he used to work for.

"If I do so, then they will get access to the data and official communications of the previous ministry leadership," said the man, who added that he did not comply and is now in hiding.

According to Reuters, approximately two dozen Afghan government departments used Google to handle official email correspondence — including the ministries of finance and industry, as well as the office of presidential protocol. Other agencies, including the ministry of foreign affairs and the presidential office itself, used Microsoft’s email software, the report said.

Microsoft did not immediately respond to a question from The Post about what actions, if any, the company was taking to keep that data out of Taliban hands.

Days after the Taliban entered Kabul on Aug. 15, Google-owned YouTube said it would "terminate" any account it believes to be operated by the extremist group. By contrast, Twitter said it would allow Taliban accounts to remain on the service while "proactively" enforcing its rules against "glorification of violence, platform manipulation and spam."

Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported Friday that Western Union — which halted service after the militants entered Kabul — will resume transfers, which may help Afghans to receive cash from relatives living abroad. Most of Afghanistan’s foreign reserves, however, are held abroad and frozen while Western nations consider how to engage with the Taliban, putting pressure on the local currency.


There was no immediate comment from Western Union to the AP on the resumption of service.

The Taliban has sought to show a moderate face to the watching world as it consolidates control of Afghanistan, but their conciliatory statements have been belied by reports this week that the group’s members were carrying out "house-to-house executions" in Kabul and elsewhere in the country.

Last month, United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet warned of "summary executions" and strict restrictions on women in areas under Taliban control, while the family of an Afghan folk singer reported that their relative had been executed by the Taliban days after it declared "music is forbidden in Islam."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×