Over 5,000 Carats of Panjshir Emeralds Sold by Taliban Officials

Taliban authorities in Afghanistan’s Panjshir province have announced the sale of 5,435 carats of emeralds mined from the region. The precious stones were sold to domestic traders for a total of $189,990 in the presence of the Mining Protection Committee.

Saifuddin Laton, spokesperson for the Taliban-appointed governor of Panjshir, told local media that the emeralds were recently extracted from the province’s mines and sold through an official process.

Panjshir is known for its rich deposits of precious stones, particularly emeralds. However, local sources and economic experts have warned that the lack of transparency in the mining and sales process—especially following the Taliban’s takeover—raises concerns about corruption, environmental degradation, and the loss of public benefit for local communities.

Currently, the Taliban manage the extraction and sale of the country’s natural resources without oversight from independent bodies, fueling widespread concerns about how revenues are spent and whether the profits benefit the Afghan people.