Currently, the Taliban are in control of the material resources and are competing to plunder them. The first conflict within the group happened when it was re-established, with leaders fighting over financial resources and revenue-generating offices. Sirajuddin Haqqani, who took control of most of Afghanistan’s provinces when Kabul fell and the Taliban took over, attempted to seize the revenue-generating offices and financial resources. The Kandahari faction is also vying for control of the country’s financial resources. As a result, a conflict of interest has arisen between the Kandahari Taliban and the Haqqani network.
Haqqani, who had taken control of most of the customs, ports, and other revenue-generating departments, such as the General Directorate of Passport, in the early days of the Taliban’s rule over the country, was gradually removed from financial resources by Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban Supreme Leader. Mullah Hibatullah once replaced the officials of this group in the ports and customs with an order, which made Sirajuddin Haqqani uncomfortable. This unexpected decision and the one-time removal of the officials of a department, including Mullah Hidayatullah Badri, the finance minister at the time, also affected this group. Although Badri is considered one of Mullah Hibatullah’s associates and trusted individuals, he was not consulted on the issue of dismissing the employees under him and replacing them with individuals close to the Kandahar office. Those assignments were made by Mullah Hibatullah’s office in Kandahar to control the country’s sources of income.
The Kandahari Taliban planned to remove Alam Gul Haqqani’s brother from his position as the manager of the General Directorate of Passport, which was a profitable role within the Haqqani group. This kind of power struggle is common among Taliban officials, but they needed a reason to remove Alam Gul Haqqani. The release of videos showing misconduct by Alam Gul Haqqani’s brother provided the opportunity to remove him from his position, making it difficult for Sirajuddin Haqqani to defend him. As a result, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban Deputy Prime Minister, appointed the brother of one of his relatives as the new general director of Passport. However, Sirajuddin Haqqani did not accept this decision, leading to a conflict that lasted for months. Both sides were unwilling to give up control over the lucrative office, resulting in the passport directorate remaining inactive for consecutive months. The Taliban cited “technical problems” and “equipment obsolescence” as the reasons for the inactivity. Over the past two years, the passport office has increased the price of this document and sold it on the black market for thousands of dollars. A considerable amount of the illicit income generated from selling passports on the black market is pocketed by the officials involved, and there is no responsibility or oversight for this.
The issue of mines and their looting is also a part of the Taliban group’s effort to seize the country’s resources. After regaining control, this group has focused heavily on the country’s mines and has sold most of them at very low prices. There is also a problem of competition within the group. Sirajuddin Haqqani, who initially managed Afghanistan’s mines, gradually ran out of those resources. Mullah Hibatullah’s office in Kandahar is actually interfering with the process of mining contracts. There are allegations that some domestic companies involved in contracts with the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum are fictitious companies introduced by Mullah Hibatullah’s office in Kandahar to the Ministry of Mines, which is now under Taliban control in Kabul. These companies, some of which have no foreign presence, are connected to Mullah Hibatullah’s office in Kandahar.
The process of signing contracts with companies varies. Some companies have obtained mining contracts without going through the usual steps of announcement, bidding, and tendering. These companies have been able to secure mining contracts through the influence of Mullah Hibatullah’s office in Kandahar. The terms and conditions for these mines are also unusual. Some mines have been awarded to companies that have no experience in mining, as their primary expertise lies in other fields. For instance, certain road construction companies have been given mining contracts in exchange for rebuilding roads and highways. This arrangement allows these companies to profit significantly more from the mines than the cost of road reconstruction. This situation raises concerns about both the expertise of these companies in mining and the fairness of the process. These companies are likely to begin extracting non-standard minerals and will not hesitate to find any excuse to increase their profits. They will not be concerned if the ancient sites are damaged during the mining process. Certain mines have been assigned to individuals through fake companies, as a way for the Taliban to exploit Afghanistan’s mineral resources within the country.
In addition to domestic companies affiliated with the Taliban leadership, several large foreign companies have also engaged in transactions with this group for mining operations in Afghanistan. These companies primarily belong to countries that are friendly to the Taliban. However, it is important to note that the rule of the Taliban lacks both domestic and international legitimacy. Therefore, obtaining a contract with an illegitimate party is itself illegitimate. Extracting mines under such contracts only amounts to the looting of Afghanistan’s resources and mines by the Taliban and their foreign allies. Mines are a national asset, but the Taliban does not represent the nation. They have even created a division in society between the Taliban and non-Taliban, granting special privileges to their own members. The Taliban and their affiliates are even exempt from obeying the orders of the group’s leader. One example of this is the leniency shown towards Taliban members accused of engaging in illicit sexual activities, while harsh sentences are imposed on others. When the Taliban’s stance is separate from that of the Afghan people, lacking both domestic and international legitimacy, they have no right to sell the nation’s property and assets.
Recently, the Taliban group has awarded contracts to several major Chinese companies. These companies are responsible for mining operations in Afghanistan, particularly the second phase of the Mes Aynak mine in Logar Province. However, there is concern that the extraction of these mines may cause damage or destruction to ancient artifacts that have been discovered there. This not only benefits the Taliban and their foreign allies financially, but also poses a threat to the country’s cultural heritage.
Recently, social media users have reported that the Taliban has been excavating around Chehelborj Castle in Yakawalang Bamyan. According to these users, the Taliban is conducting these excavations in order to find a mine. The Yakawalang Tower is an ancient monument in Bamyan province, and using heavy machinery to dig around it is causing damage to the ancient structures. It is not surprising that a group openly hostile to the country’s cultural assets, such as statues and other ancient works, would engage in such acts of vandalism. The Taliban, who have dominated the country and destroyed its administrative and economic infrastructure, have raised concerns about the destruction of these mines and ancient monuments through their actions of extracting mines. Now, both the material and spiritual assets of Afghanistan are at risk of being destroyed and sold by this group.
Read this article in Farsi here.
