Taliban Shut Down 19 Exchange Offices in Lashkargah, Helmand Province

Local sources in Helmand report that the Taliban administration on Monday, July 6, closed 19 currency exchange offices in the ‘Adil Market’ area of Lashkargah city. According to these sources, a joint delegation led by officials from the Taliban’s Central Bank carried out this action. The reason given for the closures was the lack of operating licenses in accordance with newly established regulations.

Sources further revealed that exchange operators in Lashkargah are required to deposit at least 10 million Afghanis as a guarantee with the Central Bank to obtain a license. This condition is part of the regulations imposed by the Taliban’s Central Bank after the group regained control of the country. Officials from the Taliban administration in Helmand and the local exchange operators have not yet made any official statements regarding the matter.

In 2022, the Taliban’s Central Bank issued a nine-article directive setting a new framework for the operation of exchange offices and money service companies. Under this regulation, in major cities such as Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, and Balkh, applicants for licenses must have a minimum capital of 50 million Afghanis. In other provinces, the minimum capital required to establish an exchange company is 10 million Afghanis, and exchange operators must deposit 5 million Afghanis as a guarantee.

After this directive was published, exchange operators in several provinces protested the stringent conditions and their impact on their businesses. However, the Taliban administration has not made any significant changes to these regulations. Critics argue that the continuation of these restrictions could hinder small-scale financial activities in the provinces and further limit people’s access to monetary services.