Taliban says 121-km Wakhan road in Badakhshan completed

The Taliban administration says construction of the so-called Silk Road in the Wakhan Corridor of Badakhshan province has been completed after five years of work and is set to be opened soon.

Amanullah Chehra, head of rural rehabilitation and development in Badakhshan, said the road is 121.13 kilometres long and starts from the Barghil area, extending to Bazai Gumbad near the border with China.

According to Taliban officials, the road is between 7 and 10 metres wide and three large bridges have also been built along the route. They said each of the bridges is about 20 to 22 metres long, and a number of small culverts have also been constructed along the route to allow water to pass through.

Taliban officials said the route will be officially inaugurated soon. The Wakhan Corridor in northeastern Afghanistan is one of the most remote areas of Badakhshan province and borders China.