A video from 2014 of Kurdish activists in London to raise awareness about atrocities against women by the Islamic State in Iraq has been revived claiming it shows Taliban auctioning Afghan women.
In the past week, Taliban forces have moved swiftly to conquer major parts of Afghanistan, including a few major cities in the north like Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Taloqan, along with the southern city of Zaranj. Scores of children have reportedly been killed, along with major civilian casualties across the country, as one of the longest standing conflicts in recent times has been seen escalating yet once again. This year, in April, United States' President Joe Biden declared the withdrawal of all American troops by September 11, 20 years after it invaded the country. The withdrawal deadline was later shifted to August 31.
Horrifying visuals show Afghan nationals trying to escape the country by scrambling on to planes, holding on to the wings and even running on the tarmac pleading for the flight to let them board. The Taliban take over of the country has also put the spotlight back on the condition of women with the militant group's strict enforcement of not allowing women's education, restricting women from leaving without a male chaperone and the wearing of a full abbaya (not showing any skin). In the past, the punishment for not following the rules, would mean immediate and brutal action for women including public flogging, being stoned to death.
A report in the DW, quoted Human rights group Amnesty International report claiming that the vast majority of marriages in Afghanistan were forced during the Taliban era. The viral video is being shared with a caption talking about the crimes against women claiming the scenes in the video are from Afghanistan.
The claim in Hindi translates to, "Taliban is selling Afghanistan women for 100 Rs. They are doing whatever they wish and all the Muslims around the world are silent" (Original text - 100,,100 रूपये मे तालिबान, अफगान औरतों लड़कियों को बेच रहा ले जाओ कुछ भी करो, दुनिया के सारे मुस्लिम चुप)
In the viral video, horrified pedestrians watch as a man auctions two 'non-Muslim' women as sex slaves. "Ayesha...18 years old...She'll go very cheap...25 dollars...25 dollars for this Christian (inaudible)," the group's supposed ringleader bellows into a microphone..
FACT CHECK
The same video was earlier viral in 2018 with a similar caption claiming it is a real event when in fact the video was shot in London, by activists to raise awareness about the atrocities committed by the Islamic State.
A reverse image search on a video keyframe showed results from stories published in 2014 by several news outlets including BBC which described it as, "The mock Islamic State slave auction in London"
The report said the event was organised by "Compassion 4 Kurdistan, a group of Kurdish diaspora" to raise awareness about Islamic State's actions in Iraq. The BBC further reported that the group shot the video on October 14 at various locations of London like outside Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament.
The event and mock auction video was also reported by Newsweek On October 15, 2014 in a story that said, "Kurdish Activists Stage ISIS Sex Slave Market in Central London"
BOOM had earlier in 2018 also replied to various Twitter accounts who had shared the video with the false claim
The escalating conflict in Afghanistan has also led to various pieces of misinformation being shared on social media with many sharing a satire story about the Taliban wearing masks before taking over the country and old images shared as visuals of recent happenings in the country