Who funds the Taliban?
Current Affairs
The Taliban is on its way to retake power in Afghanistan. After 20 odd years of the world’s biggest giant keeping them off, it took the insurgent group less than 2 weeks to capture most of the Afghan cities, including Kabul.
Today we look at where the terrorist group gets its money from.
In a confidential report commissioned by NATO, Mullah Yaqoob, son of late Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, revealed that the Taliban had reportedly brought in USD 1.6 Billion for FY 2019-20.
Drugs
Afghanistan is currently the world’s largest producer of opium, providing an estimated USD 1.5-3 billion worth of business to the illicit heroin business worldwide. The Taliban imposes a 10% tax on every link in the drug production ecosystem - from farmers cultivating the poppy to labs, to traders smuggling the drug as an end product.
Extortion - mining, taxes and exports
Afghanistan has always been known for its minerals and precious stones trade all over the globe, which is conducted illegally throughout the country under the group. From small-scale miners to big-scale companies, all have to pay Taliban militants “taxes” to keep their businesses running - otherwise facing death.
Taxes include mining operations, telecom, drivers on highways, shopkeepers, and any international projects conducted under the country. Taliban operates under an Islamic form of taxation called “Ushr” - 10% on farmer’s harvest and “Zakt” - 2.5% wealth tax.
Charity
Since its existence, the Taliban has managed to have its fair share of supporters amongst the Middle East, with most countries supporting the group’s fight for the insurgency. Institutional private players from Pakistan, including ISI and the Persian Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar have been long supporters of their religious ideas.
Helpful foreign friends
After its 10 years of fight with the Taliban, Russia currently acts as a mediator for the Taliban. Russia still remains the most to benefit from the Afghan heroine circuit, as it has been reaping the benefits of the Reagan war on drugs in the late 70s, kicking off the opium production (basically no opium production before Russia entered Afghanistan).
China has publicly declared on numerous occasions that they are willing to work with the Taliban on a global stage.
The US Special forces, which were, of course, packed with the world-class military, “left” their armoury in Afghanistan while vacating the premise.
But why?
Global wars have mainly been around resources like drugs and oil. Vietnam (leading to Uncle Sam entering the chat), Myanmar Coup (again Russia & China interference) were mostly drug wars. Afghanistan's current state mainly is because it’s a big heroin farm.
The golden crescent is the most important geographical circuit for the heroin ecosystem.
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