Despite the Taliban touting their efforts to prevent opium cultivation and smuggling as a significant achievement and frequently showcasing this to the international community, SIGAR presents a different narrative, stating that the opium trade continues.
According to Tarz Press, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has reported that drug trafficking in Afghanistan persists, and people have resisted the Taliban's ban on the cultivation and trade of narcotics. SIGAR's report cites Afghanistan's economic problems as one of the reasons leading to the violation of the Taliban's decrees and orders in this regard.
Recently, Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's Foreign Minister, criticized the international community in a press conference in Kabul, claiming that it has not assisted in the fight against drug cultivation and smuggling. He said that while the Taliban have prevented the cultivation of narcotics, farmers need alternative services and addicts require treatment, which he believes cannot be achieved alone. Amir Khan Muttaqi also remarked that "the international community only gives orders and does nothing."
This situation comes as residents of several provinces, including Badakhshan, recently staged large-scale protests against the Taliban's efforts to prevent poppy cultivation. These protests escalated into violence, ultimately resulting in the deaths of several individuals.
