Taliban says 1,694-metre railway section completed on Hairatan-Mazar-i-Sharif route

The Taliban administration has announced the completion of 1,694 metres of railway line in the Naibabad station area on the Hairatan-to-Mazar-i-Sharif route. The project is part of the country’s rail network and was carried out through joint investment by Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

A spokesman for the Taliban’s Ministry of Public Works said the contract for constructing this section, worth 169.8 million afghanis, was signed between Afghanistan’s railway authority and relevant institutions in Uzbekistan. According to him, the project is not limited to railway track construction and also includes the creation of goods warehouses, loading and unloading centres, and support facilities.

The Taliban says completion of this section of the project could increase cargo transport capacity on the Hairatan-to-Mazar-i-Sharif route and facilitate trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. However, the claim comes as broader and more essential infrastructure along this route has so far been developed only in a limited and insufficient manner.

Nevertheless, work on the remaining sections of the project continues, and no specific completion date has been announced. The development plan for Afghanistan’s rail network, pursued by the Taliban administration, is presented as part of efforts to expand commercial ties with northern neighbours, a goal that still faces many infrastructure, security and investment challenges.