Taliban Report Oil Sale Worth Over $10 Million in Sar-e Pol Province
The Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has announced the sale of 18,000 tonnes of crude oil from the Qashqari region in Sar-e Pol province, valued at over $10.5 million. The oil was sold through a bidding process to a domestic company, according to a statement released by the ministry on Sunday, December 6. The Taliban authorities stated that the revenue from this deal will be used to support what they describe as “economic development and the extraction of natural resources.”
While the Taliban claim the goal of the sale is to boost the country’s economy, natural resources experts have expressed concern over the lack of transparency in such contracts and the absence of oversight bodies. They warn that without a legitimate legal framework, it remains unclear how the revenue is collected or allocated.
Previously, the Taliban-led administration had also reported the sale of 10,000 tonnes of oil from the Amu Darya basin. The repetition of such deals has raised concerns among residents of oil-rich regions, who frequently complain about poor regulatory oversight, failure to adhere to environmental standards, and a lack of investment in improving local living conditions.
Analysts argue that without an accountable governance structure and functional independent oversight institutions, Afghanistan’s natural resource management will continue to face misuse and remain in disarray.
