Taliban officials in Panjshir province say they have sold 4,177 carats of emeralds from the province for more than $47,000.
Saifuddin Latun, spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Panjshir, said on Tuesday, January 13, that the emeralds were sold through an auction.
The Taliban have not provided details on transparency mechanisms governing the extraction of Panjshir’s emerald mines.
Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the group has launched mining operations in various provinces, many of which observers describe as illegal.
Citizens say the Taliban lack both domestic and international legitimacy and that mineral extraction is being carried out unlawfully.
