Over 11,000 Addicts Treated at Kandahar’s Argistan 4000-Bed Rehabilitation Center

Taliban officials in Kandahar have announced that since the establishment of the 4000-bed addiction treatment center in Argistan district, more than 11,000 individuals suffering from addiction have been treated and have recovered. According to them, this center is considered one of the largest addiction treatment facilities in the country.

Ismatullah Yaqubi, director of the anti-narcotics department in Kandahar, stated that in the past four years, 15,700 addicts have been admitted to this center. He added that out of these, over 11,000 have completed the treatment process and recovered, while approximately two thousand remain under treatment.

Officials also said that alongside medical services, religious, vocational, and professional training have been provided to patients. They added that so far, 1,700 individuals have graduated from the center’s educational programs, enabling them to reintegrate into normal life after treatment.

Taliban administration officials further claim that poppy cultivation in southern provinces has been largely reduced to zero and that efforts in narcotics control and addiction treatment have accelerated. However, the statistics provided by the administration have not been independently verified, and experts consistently emphasize the need for transparency, oversight, and the provision of sustainable employment opportunities to prevent relapse into addiction.