Javid Ahmad pauses Taliban tracker updates after use by anti-Taliban groups
Javid Ahmad, the administrator of the “Taliban Leadership Tracker” database, says at least three armed groups opposed to the Taliban have used the tool to identify targets and collect personal information. For that reason, updates to the database have been suspended pending a review of how it has been used and the consequences of that use.
Ahmad, Afghanistan’s former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and a researcher at the Middle East Institute, wrote on the social media platform X on Friday, 10 Mizan, that the tool relies on publicly available information, but updates will remain halted until the way it has been used and its impact are reviewed. He did not name the armed groups.
According to information on the website of the database, by May 2026 details of nearly 1,200 Taliban members and officials had been recorded. The data include names, positions, photos, ethnic and tribal affiliations, place of origin, educational background and personal connections, and were mostly compiled from Taliban documents and statements, media reports, interviews and accounts linked to the group on social media.
The Middle East Institute in Washington launched the database in mid-2024. The project’s stated aim is to map the Taliban’s power structure and identify civilian, military and security officials at the group’s senior and mid-level ranks.
