Taliban officials continue to regularly post photos of people on social media and Afghan journalists have told AFP they received assurances from authorities after the law was announced that they would be able to continue their work.

The information ministry did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.

“Until now, regarding the articles of the law related to media, there are ongoing efforts in many provinces to implement it, but that has not started in all provinces,” Khyber said.

He added that work has started in the southern Taliban stronghold of Kandahar and the neighbouring Helmand province, as well as northern Takhar.

‘Applies to everyone’

Before the recent law was announced, Taliban officials in Kandahar were banned from taking photos and videos of living things, but the rule did not include news media.

“Now it applies to everyone,” Khyber said.

In central Ghazni province on Sunday, PVPV officials summoned local journalists and told them the morality police would start gradually implementing the law.

They advised visual journalists to take photos from further away and film fewer events “to get in the habit”, a journalist who did not want to give his name for fear of reprisal told AFP.

Reporters in Maidan Wardak province were also told the rules would be implemented gradually in a similar meeting.