People carry Afghanistan’s national flag to mark the 102nd Independence Day of Afghanistan in the Wazi Akbar khan area of Kabul on August 19, 2021, days after the Taliban’s military takeover of the country. (Photo by Hoshang Hashimi / AFP)
HONG KONG — Sadiqa Madadgar’s social media looked much like any other successful young Afghan influencer’s until Taliban militants stormed into Kabul and upended her dreams.
The return of the hardline Islamist group has sent a shockwave through Afghanistan’s social media. Prominent influencers have gone dark or fled, while residents and activists are scrambling to scrub their digital lives.
A former contestant on the reality singing competition “Afghan Star,” Madadgar amassed a huge following with her stunning vocals and down-to-earth, girl next door persona.
A devout Muslim who wears a headscarf, she spent her days uploading videos that transfixed Afghan youngsters, winning her 21,200 subscribers on YouTube and 182,000 followers on Instagram.
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In one video, she giggles as she struggles to cut open a watermelon. On another, the 22-year-old is singing a haunting folk tune in a cafe while a friend plays guitar.
On a recent trip to the city of Kandahar — the Taliban’s spiritual birthplace — she filmed herself sharing a pizza with girlfriends.
