The Taliban’s Ministry of Communications on Thursday denied reports of a cybersecurity breach following the release of leaked documents online, asserting that the materials were not classified and were not protected by a specific system.
In a statement, the ministry claimed that the documents shared on social media were either publicly accessible or related to previous years.
“The documents shared on social media are mostly publicly accessible and largely pertain to previous years, having been collected continuously,” the ministry said. “They are being published with the aim of misleading public opinion to give the impression that the systems have been hacked.”
Taliban further stated that many of the leaked materials pertain to areas where no formal digital systems exist, maintaining that their government systems are secure and impervious to cyberattacks.
Despite the Taliban’s denials, the leaked documents—published on the website Talib Leaks—have raised significant concerns. The records reportedly reveal that the Taliban have imprisoned approximately 1,400 women and more than 16,000 men.
The documents also indicate that Taliban leaders have implemented strict travel restrictions, including banning overseas academic travel without direct approval from Haibatullah Akhundzada and barring more than 8,000 former government employees from leaving the country. Additionally, as of January 2024, the records suggest that 80 foreign nationals, including six women, are being held in Taliban-run prisons.
The leak, described as one of the most significant cybersecurity incidents involving the Taliban, has sparked questions about the group’s digital infrastructure and transparency. While Taliban insist that their systems remain secure, the detailed revelations in the leaked materials paint a stark picture of their governance practices.
