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| Afghanistan |
| Taliban Eyes Afghanistan's Mines To Fund Insurgency |
| 2015-10-26 |
| [ToloNews] Sunday the Taliban are trying to take control of provinces that are rich in minerals in a bid to bolster their finances. Insurgents are fighting to take control of the areas that are rich in gold and other minerals, NRMN said in a statement. The organization warned it was a dangerous move by the Taliban to seek control of the country's national wealth. NRMN also warned if government does not take action, the country's mines could become a major funding source for Lion of Islam groups. "Insurgents have been trying to destabilize many areas in order to help their fighters continue extracting [mines] in the country," NRMN member Ibrahim Jaffari said. "This is a serious issue and the government must take action otherwise the situation will further deteriorate," he said. According to NRMN, the Taliban recently "formed a high council" which it said is responsible for identifying the areas that are rich in natural resources, in a bid to bolster their finances. Over the past few months, the Taliban has been fighting in southern Helmand ...an Afghan province populated mostly by Pashtuns, adjacent to Injun country in Pak Balochistan... , northeastern Badakhshan, eastern Kunar and Nuristan provinces. Helmand is rich in chromite and also the largest opium producing province, which is believed to be the major source of income for the Taliban. Badakhshan is famous for its gold and azure mines, while Nuristan and Kunar have large deposits of precious stones that are being extracted by the Lion of Islams. Meanwhile, ...back at the wine tasting, Vince was about to start on his third quart... a tribal elder in Raghistan district in Badakhshan, Hashim Hamidi, told TOLOnews that snuffies extract gold from different areas in the province. "The Taliban has 31 excavators and are extracting several kilograms of gold on a daily basis. The area has been under control of the Taliban for almost a year," he said. "We are deeply concerned about the problem. The ministry of mines and petroleum has prepared a security plan to secure the mines, but now it is up to security institutions to ensure the security of the mines and pave the way for our workers and staff to travel in areas where natural resources can be identified," Muhaiuddin Noori, a front man for the ministry of mines and petroleum said. Security has drastically deteriorated in mineral rich provinces in Afghanistan over recent months and many believe snuffies are now eyeing natural resources to fund their armed struggle against government. |
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