RASC News Agency: Reports from the customs office of Farah province, in western Afghanistan, suggest that considerable tension exists among Taliban commanders regarding the revenues of this customs office. An informed source in Farah province, speaking on condition of anonymity to RASC News Agency on Friday, Feb 2, stated that recent tensions have arisen among individuals close to the Haqqani network concerning Mullah Yaqub Akhund’s directives regarding the revenues of this province’s customs.
The source indicates that these tensions have been ongoing for some time between these two factions within the Taliban and have yet to be resolved. Furthermore, the source reveals that individuals associated with the Haqqani network seek 75 percent of the revenues from the Farah customs, while the other faction aims for more benefits from the customs revenues.
According to the source, this issue is not confined to just the Farah customs but extends to all customs offices and ports generating revenue under Taliban control in Afghanistan, where tensions between the two factions of the group prevail. The source adds that economic matters have become increasingly significant for both factions of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the continuation of this trend will severely impact both parties. Moreover, another source in Farah province confirms that the highest level of corruption within the Taliban is in customs offices compared to other government institutions under their control, allowing their high-ranking officials to amass substantial amounts of dollars and dinars through this channel over the years.
Given this scenario, Hamid, a resident of Farah province, informed RASC News Agency that occasional internal conflicts among Taliban members occur. He added that while differences exist within any system, tensions among Taliban members have escalated recently. Hamid emphasizes that the disputes and tensions among Taliban members have severe repercussions for the general populace, which will be irreparable. Meanwhile, Musa Barakat, an economic expert in western Afghanistan, told RASC News Agency that it’s natural for any individual or group when it comes to income or revenues to be uncertain about which path to pursue.
He added that among the Taliban, there are individuals more inclined to seek their own benefits to a greater extent. Barakat emphasizes that revenue matters belong to the Ministry of Finance of the country, and all revenues should be deposited with that ministry. He further asserts that no individual or group has the right to demand customs revenues and divert them into their pockets under various pretexts. In this regard, we sought the views of Taliban officials in Farah province, but they declined to speak to RASC News Agency.
It is worth mentioning that tensions between Sarajuddin Haqqani’s faction and the group led by Mullah Yaqub Akhund have been ongoing for some time in various government offices across the provinces of Afghanistan.
