US army launches digital onslaught

The US military in Afghanistan is launching a communications campaign to reach people who get their information online rather than in newspapers.

USFORA - the United States Forces in Afghanistan - is testing Twitter and Facebook accounts and hopes to launch the services officially later this week.

It already has a YouTube account to add to its social networking arsenal.

In a sign of its intent to embrace digital communications the US military announced the death of a US service member from non-combat-related injuries in southern Afghanistan by posting the news on Twitter hours before announcing it in a more formal press statement.

"There's an entire audience segment that seeks its news from alternative means outside traditional news sources, and we want to make sure we're engaging them as well," said Colonel Greg Julian, the top US spokesman in Afghanistan, who has more than 300 followers on Twitter.

The increased digital presence is also seen as a means to tackle Taliban propaganda. US officials say the Taliban is winning the war of words, routinely publicisinig false claims about coalition soldier deaths and how many civilians might have died in an air strike.

Last week Google Earth launched a Map of the Fallen to commemorate all the coalition forces who have died in the so called 'War on Terror'.