Taliban May Have Profited From $293 Million of US Aid, Reports SIGAR

He stated that this figure reflects the increased level of economic relations between Iran and the Taliban.

According to IRNA news agency, on Thursday, Shirdel during a meeting with a group of Iranian officials said that Dogharoun is Iran's most important economic hub with Afghanistan.

He noted that Iranian export goods, along with those from Khorasan Razavi province, "supply the market of 30 million people" in Afghanistan.

This Iranian official added that the removal of economic barriers at Dogharoun has led to the satisfaction of the Taliban. According to him, currently, 1,200 trucks traverse daily between Iran and Afghanistan through Dogharoun.

Meanwhile, Iranian media have reported over the past few days that 400 Iranian trucks are stranded inside Afghanistan due to their cargo not being accepted. IRIB news agency reported that these trucks have been stranded inside Afghanistan since the last 23 days, facing numerous problems.

So far, Taliban members have not commented on this claim by the NRF.

On Wednesday (July 17), the NRF in a statement said that the first attack took place on a Taliban checkpoint on the outskirts of Charikar city, resulting in the death of one Taliban member and injuries to two others.

The front added that the second attack occurred in the Hesa Duwum district of Kapisa province on a Taliban base, resulting in the deaths of two fighters and the wounding of one Taliban fighter.

NRF stated that no harm came to their forces in these attacks.

The front is one of two armed groups that occasionally attack Taliban forces in various central and northern provinces.

The Freedom Front is another armed group opposing the Taliban, which occasionally reports attacks on Taliban military centres.

Taliban officials have repeatedly stated that these groups have not succeeded in capturing any territory so far.

Pakistan has urged the Taliban to conduct a thorough investigation into the attack and take immediate action.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The interim Afghan government has been asked to thoroughly investigate and take immediate, strong, and effective measures against the perpetrators of the Bannu attack."

The statement reiterated Pakistan's request for the Taliban to prevent the use of Afghan soil for carrying out such attacks.

"Pakistan reiterated its serious concerns about the presence of terrorist groups inside Afghanistan that continue to threaten Pakistan's security. These incidents are contrary to the spirit of bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries," the statement added.

Pakistan stated that this attack highlights the serious threat terrorism poses to regional security.

The attack by forces loyal to Hafiz Gul Bahadur on a Pakistani army base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in the death of eight soldiers.

The Pakistani army has stated that Hafiz Gul Bahadur's group is based in Afghanistan and that the army will take necessary action against threats emanating from Afghanistan.

The Taliban have consistently denied any attacks against neighbouring countries originating from Afghan soil.

According to a statement from the Taliban's Ministry of Interior, Hasibullah Ahmadi, Chief of Staff of the Deputy Ministry for Counter-Narcotics, along with several directors and managers of this department, will participate in a scientific conference.

This visit comes a week after Abdul Haq Akhund, the Taliban's Deputy Minister for Counter-Narcotics, announced the complete eradication of poppy fields in Afghanistan.
In a recent report, the UN Security Council's Technical Monitoring Team on Sanctions had stated that while Taliban leaders have benefited from the ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, farmers have suffered significantly.

The report also noted that the Taliban leader's orders to ban poppy cultivation in Badakhshan have been ignored. The provision of alternative crops for farmers was a key agenda item at the third Doha meeting. During this meeting, the Taliban requested the international community's assistance in providing alternative crops for Afghan farmers.

Mohammad Agha Hakim, the Taliban’s governor in Panjshir, stated that the Taliban welcome foreign investors in this province.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Taliban's Directorate of Information and Culture in Panjshir noted that, in addition to Russian businessmen, traders from other countries have also expressed interest in collaborating with the Taliban to invest in Panjshir's emerald mines.

The Taliban have frequently reported on the extraction and sale of Panjshir emeralds.

Recently, the Taliban's head of Mines and Petroleum in Panjshir stated that over 60,000 carats of Panjshir emeralds have been sold for four million dollars.
Since taking power in August 2021, the Taliban have significantly intensified mining activities. However, critics argue that the Taliban's extraction of mines lacks legitimacy and transparency, with no clarity on where the revenues are directed.