ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Taliban on Monday confirmed the death of its deputy chief, Khan Said Sajna, in a drone strike on Feb. 8.
“The central leadership of Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) Pakistan formally confirms the death of deputy chief Khan Said alias Khalid Mehsud in a US drone strike,” TTP spokesman Mohammed Khorasani said in a statement obtained by Arab News.
Sajna was a close confidant of TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud, who was killed in a US drone strike in 2009. Sajna headed Taliban militants belonging to the Mehsud tribe.
Mufti Noorwali Mehsud has been appointed the new head of the Mehsud unit, Khorasani said.
Mehsud has served in several key positions since the launch of the TTP in 2007, and his book on the organization was published online last month.
Sajna’s death is considered a serious setback for the TTP, which has already been under mounting pressure from US drone attacks and internal divisions.
Several senior Taliban militants have been killed in Afghanistan in recent years, including Khalifa Umar Mansour, Hafiz Saeed Khan, Qari Mohammed Yasin and Raees Khan.
Pakistani Taliban confirms death of deputy chief in drone strike
Pakistani Taliban confirms death of deputy chief in drone strike
Indonesia threatens to ban Musk’s Grok AI over degrading images of children and women
- Grok has been complying with user requests to alter images of real people
- Other countries, including Malaysia and France, have also threatened action against X
JAKARTA: Indonesia’s Communications Ministry threatened on Wednesday to ban Elon Musk’s X and its artificial intelligence chatbot Grok after degrading pictures of women and children generated without consent surged on the social media platform.
Grok has been complying with requests from X users to modify images of real women and children stripped to their underwear, creating a viral trend that has sparked concerns across the globe.
A preliminary investigation found that Grok “does not yet have explicit and adequate regulations to prevent the production and distribution of pornographic content based on real photos” of Indonesian citizens,” Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs said in a statement.
Indonesia has strict laws against the production and distribution of pornography, with the government regularly instructing internet service providers to block access to websites containing such content.
“The obligation to comply with Indonesian laws and regulations applies to all digital platforms operating in Indonesia,” the ministry said.
“Should there be non-compliance or lack of cooperation, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs may impose administrative sanctions, including termination of access to Grok’s AI services and the X platform.”
Indonesia has joined a growing list of countries, which includes Malaysia, India and France, that are calling for investigations and threatening action against Grok.
Concerns grew after a December update to the chatbot made it easier for users to post photographs of people and ask for their clothing to be removed.
In a report published on Tuesday, European non-profit organization AI Forensics said Grok is “systematically ‘undressing’ women.”
Its analysis of 20,000 images generated by Grok between Dec. 25 and Jan.1 found that 53 percent of them contained individuals in minimal attire, with 81 percent of them being women, while two percent of the images depicted persons appearing to be 18 years old or younger.
Indonesia’s Communications Ministry said AI service providers and users are also subject to administrative or criminal sanctions under Indonesian law if they are proven to have produced or distributed pornographic content or modified personal images without permission.
“Every digital platform must ensure that the technology they provide does not become a medium for privacy violation, sexual exploitation or the degradation of a person’s dignity,” said Alexander Sabar, director-general of digital space at the ministry.
“We urge all parties to use artificial intelligence technology responsibly. The digital space is not a lawless space; every citizen’s privacy and right to their image must be respected and protected.”
