8am: With the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Pakistan has become Afghanistan’s most important natural resources market. Local sources in Takhar province say that hundreds of trucks carrying coal are being loaded and transported to Pakistan on daily basis from his province. According to sources, some Taliban officials and commanders are involved in the deal. Residents
Ariana: According to a directive of the Ministry of Finance, coal trucks will no longer be allowed to pass through Torkham customs and will have to use alternate routes. The move was taken to avoid spoilage of fresh fruits and traffic congestion on highway, the ministry said. Click here to read more (external link).
Reuters: The hardline Islamist movement is now banking on its natural resources to survive. Landlocked Afghanistan has large mineral and fossil fuel deposits, most of them untapped. One Pakistani official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Pakistan had increased coal imports from Afghanistan and could be importing up to 500,000 tonnes per month. Click here
8am: Due to lack of security threats that Taliban insurgents were behind that, the former government could not utilize the national underground reserves. No doubt that Taliban now can extract them, as there is no rebels to create terror and insurgencies in the mining sites. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News: The Taliban is trying to take control of revenue generating sectors in Samangan province, local officials said on Thursday. Daud Kalakani, the governor of Samangan, said the Taliban has increased their presence near coal mines in Dara-e-Soof Bala and Dara-e-Soof Paeen areas to take over the mines and collect money for their war
1TV: Death toll has risen to 16 following Tuesday’s explosion at a coal mine in Afghanistan’s northern Samangan province, local officials said. Six others have been wounded in the explosion which happened in Dara-i-Suf Bala district. Dead bodies of eight miners were recovered from the blast site, but eight others were still trapped. Click here