Local sources in the Dasht-e-Qala district of Takhar province say that illegal excavations have begun within the boundaries of the ancient city of Ai-Khanoum and surrounding areas, aimed at extracting gold under the supervision of the Taliban and Chinese companies.
The sources told Hasht-e Subh Daily on Sunday, November 9, that Zabihullah Ansari, the Taliban’s Director of Information and Culture in Takhar, along with Bashar Noorzai, a Taliban figure influential in narcotics trafficking and mineral looting, are cooperating with Chinese engineers in mining operations in the Qala-Hasar and Ai-Khanoum regions.
The sources also claimed that several individuals linked to Chinese companies are directly involved in these activities and are being supported by some influential local figures.
According to the sources, these concerns have been raised with the local Taliban administration, but Taliban officials have said the matter falls under the authority of their Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Information and Culture.
The ancient city of Ai-Khanoum, located in the Dasht-e-Qala district of Takhar, dates back more than 2,300 years.
Listed on UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage list, it features a blend of Greek and Indian architecture and is considered one of Afghanistan’s most important archaeological sites.
