ECONOMY — July 30, 2026
Taliban Governor Says Around 700 Mines Under Extraction in Panjshir
The governor invited domestic and foreign investors while asserting full Taliban oversight of operations. Experts and residents have raised concerns about unregulated extraction without environmental safeguards.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Afghanistan International — 2 min read
The Taliban governor of Panjshir stated that around 700 mines are currently under extraction in the province. This figure includes 1,700 discovered emerald mines along with deposits of beryl, ruby and other precious stones.
The governor said all mining activities remain under complete Taliban control and are supervised by Taliban committees. He called on domestic and foreign investors to take part in the sector.
Former President Ashraf Ghani stated that secret mine contracts signed by the Taliban lack international legitimacy. A report by Foreign Policy indicated that revenue from mineral extraction benefits 14 groups affiliated with al-Qaeda.
Experts and local citizens have expressed concerns over the absence of regulation, oversight, transparency and environmental standards in the extraction process.
Read the original reporting at Afghanistan International →
Reliability assessment
Single source provides direct on-record attribution from named public figure Ashraf Ghani and references Taliban governor statements plus Foreign Policy reporting; core claims about Taliban statements and Ghani's accusation are verifiable as reported.
The source language mixes facts with framing or advocacy wording. Afghanistan International: "plundering of the country's natural resources" and "seizure of mines for the benefit of a particular group" are charged because they use emotionally loaded terms implying theft and unfair monopolization rather than neutral reporting of concerns.
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Afghanistan International
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Economy — Panjshir, Taliban, mining, emeralds, Ashraf Ghani
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