Ariana: Former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has raised concerns over a reported increase in poppy cultivation in Pakistan, warning that it could be fueling insurgency, terrorism, and lawlessness, particularly in regions like Balochistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Amu: Although the violence has subsided, Taliban continue to enforce a strict siege on Khash District in northeastern Badakhshan Province, local residents said, adding that telecommunications remain cut, leaving the area isolated. The standoff follows a protest by farmers in Khash who had assembled to oppose the Taliban’s destruction of their opium poppy fields. Taliban
Amu: Taliban counternarcotics units have withdrawn from the Khash district of Badakhshan Province following two days of local protests against the destruction of poppy fields, according to residents and local sources. Sources told Amu TV that the demonstrations erupted after Taliban forces began eradicating poppy crops in the remote district, prompting pushback from farmers who
Afghanistan International: A Taliban team deployed to destroy opium poppy fields in Badakhshan’s Jurm district has withdrawn amid growing internal tensions and local unrest, sources told Afghanistan International on Sunday. Local sources said dissatisfaction is mounting among Taliban members from the province, with tensions further fuelled by the killing of a Taliban fighter in the
8am: The United Nations has reported in a recent assessment that the price of one kilogram of opium in Afghanistan has increased tenfold compared to previous years. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stated in its report that following the Taliban’s ban on opium cultivation, the price of this substance has sharply risen,
Amu: More than two years after the Taliban’s 2022 ban on narcotics, poppy cultivation levels in Afghanistan remain historically low, but opium continues to be grown, cultivated, and sold in some areas, according to a new report from the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). SIGAR also noted that while Afghanistan has seen
Khaama: The increase in opium production in 2024 is concerning, especially in the context of international efforts to combat drug trafficking and addiction. The rise in opium value also suggests that the country’s drug trade remains a major challenge. Click here to read more (external link).
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
VOA News Ayaz Gul July 26, 2024 ISLAMABAD — New research suggests that poppy cultivation in Afghanistan will drop to record-low levels in 2024, due to the ban on the crop imposed by the Taliban government two years ago. The findings, released this week by Alcis, a geospatial analytics firm, are based on high-resolution satellite mapping
Hindustan Times: Afghanistan continues to have massive stockpiles of opium that can be used to meet the needs of narcotics trafficking networks despite a ban imposed by the Taliban on poppy cultivation, according to a new report by the United Nations Security Council. A majority of drugs trafficked to India comes from Afghanistan, and Pakistan’s