8am: Following continued complaints from citizens of Afghanistan about extortion and the seizure of people’s property by Taliban officials, several residents of Balkh have raised allegations against the Taliban’s head of land affairs in the group’s Department of Agriculture and Livestock. They accuse this local Taliban official of confiscating private property and taking control of public grazing lands. They emphasize that he leases both private and state-owned land to individuals of his choosing without observing the group’s laws or court rulings, and that if bribes are not paid, people’s ownership documents and rights are disregarded. Sources say that “Wilayat Khan,” also known as “Haji Mir Agha,” the Taliban’s head of land affairs in Balkh Province, has been extorting landowners and farmers in the province for more than four years. According to the sources, all landowners have grown frustrated with Wilayat Khan and have no avenue available to file complaints. Click here to read more (external link).