Taliban’s Instagram tourist video with rifles, fake hostages, and “vacation vibes,” causes controversy
The Taliban’s tourism video – blending rifles, fake hostages, and Afghan landscapes – has gone viral, sparking both outrage and dark humor online.
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The Taliban’s tourism video – blending rifles, fake hostages, and Afghan landscapes – has gone viral, sparking both outrage and dark humor online.
I was aware that there’s been a rise in travellers seeking authentic travel experiences in the last few years, but nothing could prepare me for the Taliban’s new video.
In the trending Instagram clip, we see a parody of a beheading, as the captive welcomes the viewer to Afghanistan.
What follows next is a flurry of armed fighters posing, juxtaposed with epic landscapes and Afghan cuisine – all chopped up over euphoric music.
The video split the internet in half, as many berated the bad taste, lack of women, and the crazy new world order, whereas others praised the ballsy nature of such self-deprecation.
Paradise lost, Taliban style
Since reclaiming power in 2021, the Taliban have been seeking more respect and normalization among their adversaries in the free world.
Their tourism push is part of broader efforts to portray Afghanistan as safe and culturally rich.
Around 9000 tourists visited in 2024 – many from Russia, China, Turkey, and the Middle East.
Some travel vloggers, like Youtuber Seal On Tour, make videos poking fun at the culture with titles like “Afghanistan has too much testosterone.”
In a way, this creates a glorification of Afghanistan that doesn’t actually discuss harsh realities, like repression of women and lack of press freedom – instead it twists them.
Cultural charm or cover-up?
The Taliban’s choice to promote their nation is a bold twist on traditional travel videos you’d get for somewhere like Spain or Greece.
Many users called it “darkly ironic,” noting how violence is normalized in the visuals.
In other reactions, one Instagram user, @riri_25_, quoted Malcolm X:
“If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”
Whether the video will raise Afghanistan’s tourism figures for 2025 remains to be seen.
