8am: The Taliban continue to sign illegal contracts for the extraction and exploitation of Afghanistan’s mines. They now control the country’s natural resources—wealth that once funded their war efforts through illegal mining—and have gained increased opportunities for exploitation as their criminal economic networks expand. Recently, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs announced the launch
Amu: Several taxi drivers in Herat say they cannot afford the required 25,000 to 40,000 Afghanis (approximately $370 to $590) to repaint their vehicles under a regulation implemented by the Taliban’s traffic department. The drivers say the law, enforced by the Taliban-run Herat’s traffic management office, mandates that all taxis undergo the color change, placing
Ariana: John Sopko, the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), has called for the agency to be closed due to the Islamic Emirate’s takeover of the country and the reduction in assistance. Sopko has recommended to the Office of Management and Budget in the White House that SIGAR’s oversight operations be ceased on
Tolo News: Iran’s Interior Minister, Eskandar Momeni, claimed that the production of methamphetamine in Afghanistan has increased significantly, which he considers a threat to Iran, the region, and the world. Momeni added that closing the border with Afghanistan is part of an effort aimed at preventing illegal entry and drug trafficking. The Iranian Interior Minister
Afghanistan International: Despite the Taliban’s official ban on poppy cultivation, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has reported a 19% increase in Afghanistan’s poppy cultivation for 2024 compared to the previous year. According to the United Nations, the Taliban have struggled to control poppy production effectively this year. Click here to read
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi November 3, 2024 A fire erupted at a gas distribution company in Kabul, killing at least six people, officials said. Noorullah Ansar, a Taliban-appointed official with the Afghan capital’s Disaster Management and Fire Department, said the blaze, which erupted in the Paghman district on the evening of November 2, also injured at least nine
8am: Residents of Kunduz city have accused the Taliban municipality of extortion and imposing arbitrary fees. They allege that Taliban officials, along with local representatives, forcibly enter homes to measure them and collect money. Many residents, including female heads of households, express their inability to afford these payments and frustration that the Taliban, instead of
Afghanistan International: An informed source said that car sellers refused to pay taxes due to the high tax rates and the unfavourable economic and market situation, which was met with violence by the Taliban. A number of people said that the Taliban does not provide services despite collecting a lot of taxes. Trade unions and
By Satar Furogh and Ahmad Hanayish Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty October 29, 2024 Gul Hotak and her family survive on just one meal per day — often leftovers from neighbors. Hotak is the sole breadwinner for her family of four. Her husband is sick and cannot work. She cleans people’s houses in exchange for food.
Afghanistan International: A group of retirees blocked the street leading to the Ministry of Finance in Kabul on Saturday, October 26, in protest against the Taliban’s non-payment of their salaries since the last three years. Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada has dissolved the pension system in Afghanistan and slashed the salaries of retirees. Click here to