Mick Hartley

Yes, the Taliban can change. With power comes responsibility. Rocket launchers will henceforth be banned at fairgrounds:

Taliban fighters will no longer be allowed to carry their weapons in amusement parks in Afghanistan, the group's spokesman said on Wednesday, as the new rulers of the country seek to soften their image.

"Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate are not allowed to enter amusement parks with weapons, military uniforms and vehicles," said Zabihullah Mujahid, the main Taliban spokesman, on Twitter.

"(They) are obliged to abide by all the rules and regulations of amusement parks."

Following the group's takeover of the country last August, Taliban fighters flocked to amusement parks and entertainment facilities across the country, with photographs of gun-toting fighters riding bumper cars or pedal boats going viral online. One was pictured with a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher standing on pirate ship ride in a fairground.

For many young fighters who had spent their lives fighting a two-decade insurgency against the US-backed government, it was their first taste of life in a country no longer at war.

As the Chinese proverb says, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.