Taliban Authorities in Herat Seize 10 Treasure-Detecting Devices

Taliban military officials in Herat have announced that officers from the highway battalion on the Islam Qala route seized 10 treasure-detecting devices and arrested one person in connection with transporting them.

Saifuddin Sifatullah, commander of the Taliban administration’s highway battalion in Herat, told Bakhtar News Agency that the devices are used to identify metal objects underground.

Bakhtar’s provincial branch in Herat reported today, Tuesday, 20 Asad, that the case of the arrested individual will be handed over to the Taliban administration’s judicial bodies for follow-up.

The Taliban administration has declared the private search, extraction, and buying and selling of historical artifacts illegal. The administration’s Ministry of Information and Culture has also asked citizens to hand over any historical artifacts they find to local information and culture directorates.

Islam Qala is one of the key border crossings in Herat province and lies on the route between Afghanistan and Iran.