CNN on Tuesday hit out at veteran Republican senator Ted Cruz immediately after the latter place out a tweet criticising the American news network for its coverage of the crisis in Afghanistan.
Mr Cruz retweeted a clip of Clarissa Ward, CNN’s chief international correspondent, reporting from outdoors the US embassy in Kabul, with Taliban terrorists behind her.
“Is there an enemy of America for whom @CNN WON’T cheerlead? (In mandatory burkas, no less.),” the politician tweeted.
The network’s communications group gave him a sharp rebuttal and defended its coverage and the reporter.
“Rather than running off to Cancun in tough times, @clarissaward is risking her life to tell the world what’s happening. That’s called bravery. Instead of RTing a conspiracy theorist’s misleading soundbite, perhaps your time would be better spent helping Americans in harm’s way,” CNN Communications tweeted.
Rather than operating off to Cancun in hard occasions, @clarissaward is risking her life to inform the world what is taking place. That’s named bravery. Instead of RTing a conspiracy theorist’s misleading soundbite, possibly your time would be improved spent assisting Americans in harm’s way.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) August 16, 2021
Since the last couple of days, social media customers have been circulating two images of Ms Ward, one exactly where she wears no head covering and an additional exactly where she wears an abaya. Many customers stated that this shows the contrast of life in Afghanistan just before and immediately after Taliban rule.
On Monday, she clarified that the photo without having the head covering was taken inside a private compound and that she constantly wore a head scarf on the streets of Kabul previously as well.
This meme is inaccurate. The top rated photo is inside a private compound. The bottom is on the streets of Taliban held Kabul. I constantly wore a head scarf on the street in Kabul previously, even though not w/ hair totally covered and abbaya. So there is a distinction but not very this stark. pic.twitter.com/BmIRFFSdSE
— Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward) August 16, 2021
The Taliban on Tuesday stated they would not make the complete burqa compulsory for ladies as they did when they last ruled Afghanistan. Its spokesperson did not specify the kind of headscarf that would be deemed acceptable by the Taliban.
The Taliban’s fast conquest of Kabul followed Joe Biden’s selection to withdraw US forces immediately after 20 years of war that he described as costing more than $1 trillion. The speed at which Afghan cities fell, in days rather than the months predicted by US intelligence, and worry of a Taliban crackdown on freedom of speech and human rights, particularly women’s rights, have sparked criticism. In a televised address, Mr Biden stated he did not regret his selection.