Taliban Administration Sells Emeralds and Green Garnets from Panjshir Mines
The Taliban administration’s governor office in Panjshir has announced the auction sale of 3,297 carats of emeralds and 13 samples of green garnet extracted from the province’s mines. According to the office, the total value of these stones exceeded 198,600 US dollars.
Saifuddin Laton, spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Panjshir, stated on Tuesday, 9th of Saratan (According to the Afghan calendar), that 13 green garnet samples were sold for the first time at a value of 250 US dollars. He added that the emeralds extracted were also purchased by local traders in the same auction for 198,370 US dollars.
He mentioned that ten percent of the proceeds from this sale have been deposited into the Taliban administration’s treasury. No details have been provided regarding how these revenues will be spent or the share of local residents from the mining income.
Since the Taliban’s reassertion of control over Afghanistan, the extraction and sale of Panjshir emeralds have continued steadily, and the group has also begun mining green garnet, ruby, and beryl. The Panjshir mines are considered a significant source of revenue for the country, and transparent management has always been emphasized.
However, the extraction and sale of mines under Taliban administration have faced criticism. Some political factions have described this process as lacking transparency and accused the Taliban administration of “looting” the country’s natural resources — an allegation that raises concerns about the protection of national assets and the distribution of benefits to local communities.
