Sources in Chah Ab, Takhar: Gold Mining Resumes After Leadership Change and Suppression of Protests. Local sources in Chah Ab district of Takhar Province report that gold mining operations resumed today, Monday, 19 January 2026, after being suspended for several months. According to these sources, the Taliban, in cooperation with contracting companies, have restarted drilling
Alleged Extortion of Street Vendors at Bot-Khak Crossroads by Kabul Municipality Employees. Local sources report that in recent days at the Bot-Khak crossroads in Kabul, individuals have been collecting money from street vendors and fruit sellers on a daily basis. According to witnesses, one person visits each vendor’s stall and collects 50 Afghanis from them
Public Complaints About Rising Armed Robberies in Jaghori District. Local sources report a rise in criminal activity and armed robberies in Jaghori District, Ghazni Province. In recent weeks, multiple nighttime thefts and armed attacks have caused serious concern among residents. According to reports, last night, unidentified individuals broke into a jewelry store by cutting through
From Republic to Taliban: Corruption Has Changed Form. From the era of the Republic to Taliban rule, corruption has not disappeared—it has merely changed its form and actors. During the Republic, corruption was largely administrative and contractual, serving the personal or group interests of officials. Under the Taliban, the nature of corruption remains, but its
Allegations from Badakhshan Residents: Pashtun Taliban Behind Organized Land Purchases. Some residents and local activists in Badakhshan province claim that Pashtun Taliban are behind the ongoing organized buying and selling of land and residential properties in Faizabad, the provincial capital. This trend has increased sharply in recent months, raising widespread concern among local communities. According
Taliban Detain Former Military Personnel in Bamyan. Local sources in Bamyan province report that the Taliban have increased the detention of civilians, particularly former military personnel, under the pretext of combating armed thieves. Former security and defense personnel, now engaged in simple jobs such as farming or small businesses, are typically the first to be
Taliban Plundering of Mines; Forced Displacement and Increased Risk of Cancer and Incurable Diseases in Badakhshan and Takhar. Forced displacement of local residents due to Taliban plundering of mines has become one of the alarming consequences of unregulated and non-standard gold extraction in the provinces of Badakhshan and Takhar. The continued over-extraction of gold in
Major Fire Breaks Out in Dasht-e Qala Market, Takhar. Reliable sources report that a large fire broke out in the Bandar-e Nawabad area of Dasht-e Qala district in Takhar province. As a result of the incident, seven shops in a newly constructed market were engulfed in flames, causing significant financial losses to shop owners. According
Commercial Market or Extortion Scheme? Money Changers and Goldsmiths Protest in Kunduz. A number of money changers, goldsmiths, and mobile phone vendors in Kunduz province say that three construction companies, in collusion with local Taliban authorities, have forcibly collected more than two million dollars from shopkeepers for the construction of the “Galaxy Market.” According to
Deadly Clash over Gold Mines in Chah-Ab District, Takhar. A violent clash between local residents and a private gold mining company in Chah-Ab district, Takhar province, resulted in several injuries on both sides on Friday. The incident occurred amid rising public discontent over mining activities in the area in recent days. Local sources indicate that
