Over 100,000 People Employed in Badakhshan Gold Mining, Reports Say

More than 100,000 people are reported to be working directly or indirectly in gold mining across Badakhshan province.

The Taliban ministry stated in a newsletter that gold extraction is ongoing in the districts of Shahr-e-Bozorg, Yawan, Kohistan, Raghistan, Khwahan, and Arghanjkhwah.

The ministry added that development projects worth 223 million Afghanis have been launched, including road construction, water networks, infrastructure improvements, and five large bridges over the Kokcha River. It emphasized that legal extraction and transparent management of mineral resources are priorities to strengthen the national economy and benefit local communities.

Concerns have been raised that gold mining in Badakhshan and Takhar provinces has been handed to Chinese companies, allegedly leading to uncontrolled extraction. Protests have been reported in the Chah-Ob area of Takhar over excessive mining, which is said to have damaged water resources and affected local livelihoods.

Security forces reportedly suppressed the protests, resulting in three deaths. These events highlight tensions over resource control and governance in northern Afghanistan, even as economic benefits from gold mining are promoted.