Taliban administration sells 7,656 carats of raw Panjshir emeralds

Taliban-controlled media have reported that 7,656 carats of emerald extracted from Afghanistan’s Panjshir province have been sold. According to Taliban officials, the value of the emeralds was set at 7 million 658 thousand and 200 Afghanis.

Bakhtar News Agency reported on Tuesday, 20 August, citing Saifuddin Laton, the Taliban-appointed provincial governor’s spokesperson in Panjshir, that the emeralds were sold to domestic traders in an auction. He did not provide further details about the process.

Since returning to power, the Taliban administration has expanded mining operations in Afghanistan and the sale of mineral products in different parts of the country. However, the administration usually releases statistics and details of such sales through its official channels.

Panjshir is one of Afghanistan’s provinces with emerald mines. The province’s emeralds are among the country’s best-known precious stones, and their extraction and sale are considered important sources of income in the area.