FRIGHTENING footage has emerged of an Afghan news presenters reading out headlines while surrounded by a group of gun-toting Taliban thugs.
The video, which was shared online by the TV studio after the Taliban stormed the building and demanding the anchor sing their praises live on air.
It's also understood that the soldiers wanted staff inside the studio to debate with them.
The understandably petrified anchor can be heard urging people "not to be afraid" and "to co-operate" with the group in a 42-second video which has been viewed well over a million times.
BBC's Yalda Hakim tweeted the clip on Sunday afternoon, alongside the caption: "Afghanistan TV - surreal."
"This is what a political debate now looks like on Afghan TV, Taliban foot soldiers watching over the host. The presenter talks about the collapse of the Ghani govt & says the Islamic Emirate says the Afghan people should not be afraid," she wrote.
Terrified Afghan TV anchor reads the news
surrounded by gun-toting Talibans.
BBC's Yalda Hakim shared the video on Twitter and wrote: "Afghan TV - surreal. This is what a political debate now looks like on Afghan TV, Taliban foot soldiers watching over host."#News #NewsUpdate pic.twitter.com/IT1slUn90d— Obiaks (@obiaksnews) August 31, 2021
Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad said of the video: "Taliban militants are posing behind this visibly petrified TV host with guns and making him say that the people of Afghanistan shouldn't be scared of the Islamic Emirate... Taliban itself is synonymous with fear in the minds of millions. This is just another proof."
The video emerged shortly after US armed forces carried out a successful drone strike mission which they say prevented a second terrorist attack outside Kabul airport.
Last week, an ISIS-K suicide bomber detonated a device among crowds of people desperately trying to flee the country outside the airport, leaving at least 170 people dead, including 13 American soldiers.
