RASC News Agency: Reports from Farah province in western Afghanistan reveal that Taliban officials have monopolized the region’s commerce, industry, and other sectors, granting control exclusively to their affiliates. A trader from Farah, who wished to remain anonymous, told RASC News on Wednesday, May 22, that all business activities are now controlled by Taliban-linked individuals, effectively excluding other social groups and ethnicities, particularly non-Pashtuns.
He stated that this situation has exhausted the patience of Farah’s traders, who find themselves powerless to challenge Taliban authorities for justice and equality. He noted that many traders in Farah have decided to cease their business activities in Afghanistan altogether, seeing no viable path forward.
Another resident of Farah, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that business activity in the market is weak, exacerbating people’s mental stress compared to the past. He explained that the significant wealth of the Afghanistani people has been squandered due to the Taliban’s poor governance, with no one holding them accountable.
He said, “The Taliban are ethnocentric and do not recognize the legitimacy or value of any group other than Pashtuns.” Civil activists in western Afghanistan confirm that the Taliban’s self-serving behavior has stifled opportunities for all other groups, inflicting severe harm on the livelihoods of various communities. Hakim Rezai, a civil activist in western Afghanistan, told RASC News that since the Taliban’s takeover, they have only pursued their own interests, disregarding the concerns of their opponents and the international community.
He described the Taliban as a “fascist and racist” group focused solely on Pashtun interests, with no intention or concern for the broader development and progress of Afghanistan. Rezai added that if the Taliban had a more inclusive vision for Afghanistan, the current plight of the nation’s diverse communities would be different, and Afghanistanis could live peacefully together.
Attempts to contact Taliban officials in Farah for comment were unsuccessful, as they refused to speak. It is noteworthy that unemployment and severe economic challenges have posed significant problems for all social groups, particularly in Farah and the western provinces of Afghanistan.
