CNN reporter calls out inaccurate meme that tried to contrast life in Afghanistan under the Taliban

A meme has been circulating on Twitter of CNN’s chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward with a side-by-side photo of her dressed in a long sleeve shirt with a scarf draped around her neck one day - and the next, with her head covered.

Some believed that it was a sign of submission due to the religious rules of the Taliban.

But now, Ward is pointing out the inaccuracy in the widely shared comparison.

Taking to her official Twitter account, Ward noted that she always “wore a headscarf on the street in Kabul.”

“This meme is inaccurate. The top photo is inside a private compound. The bottom is on the streets of Taliban-held Kabul. I always wore a headscarf on the street in Kabul previously, though not w/ hair fully covered and abbaya. So there is a difference but not quite this stark,” her caption read.

People on Twitter were supportive of Ward and commended her for her diligent and informative reporting.

“God bless you, @clarissaward. You are an excellent reporter, a brave woman, and an inspiration to so many. Thank you for your brilliant reporting from Kabul,” someone wrote.

“This woman is fearless. She has the kind of courage you and I can only dream of. She is literally putting her life in danger to let us see what’s REALLY happening in Afghanistan. @CNN You MUST keep her safe! At all costs,” another added.

“It’s so important to get the facts straight before you jump on a meme or headline. We’re all guilty of it. Just take a few seconds and dig a little more,” wrote Afua S. Owusu of The Jam TV Show.

Someone else still has reservations and commented that they feel that the meme was accurate all along.

“So both the hair being fully covered and the abbaya are new. Pretty accurate meme in that case, if immediately following Taliban takeover you alter the way you present yourself in public...,” they said.

Check out other responses below.

The conversation of women’s rights under the Taliban has been a hot topic as the group regained control of Afghanistan. In a report from Al Jazeera on Tuesday, the Taliban attempted to reassure world powers and a scared population.

They pledged to safeguard women’s rights, forgive those who fought them, and guarantee Afghanistan does not become a refuge for terrorists.

However, according to Fox News, a photo of a woman lying in a pool of blood in the Takhar province was taken after rebels attacked her for being in public without a head covering.