How Media Misled By Fake Post Claiming Taliban Murdered Doctor

Published On: April 5, 2023Categories: Fact Check

On Friday, a Facebook user posted a false news story claiming that his brother had been killed by the Taliban in the Siah Gard district of Parwan province. According to the post, the victim was a military doctor who had served in the previous government.

Numerous media organizations, who operate abroad, reported on this post without verifying its accuracy and authenticity. They reported that Dr. Shabeer Shirzad had been dragged out of his car and murdered by the Taliban on Friday evening, March 13th, 2023 while travelling through the Ghorband Valley of Parwan province.

However, two crucial questions remain unanswered: Where is the doctor’s body and what was the manner of his murder? The story as told implies that the killing occurred in a manner reminiscent of the republican government era, where the Taliban would pull people out of public transportation in Sia Gard district and kill them.

Subsequently, some media organizations realized they had been misled by the Facebook post and promptly removed the story from their social media platforms. However, Radio Liberty, Khama Press, and Amaj News have yet to remove the story from their respective social media channels.

We spoke with local journalists, residents, and officials, but they have not recorded the incident.