RASC News Agency: Local Taliban officials in Panjshir province have announced that a French company named Raphael has expressed interest in investing in mining extraction in the region. According to Tolo News on Saturday, Feb 17, citing Nasrullah Malekzadah, the head of information and culture for the Taliban group in Panjshir province, a French trader has shown interest in investing in the mining extraction sector of the province.
Malekzadeh mentioned that Raphael brought up this matter during a meeting with the province’s governor held by the Taliban group in Panjshir. The trader is also participating in an emerald bidding this week. Meanwhile, since their takeover of the country, the Taliban group has signed several mining and underground resource extraction contracts with domestic and foreign companies to boost their revenue. However, there are uncertainties in finalizing these contracts. Coal, oil, gold, precious and semi-precious stones, and some other minerals are being extracted under the Taliban regime, but the unprofessional extraction and “plundering” of mines raise significant concerns.
Afghanistan is among the globally resource-rich countries, with its mines initially surveyed and examined by the Russians. Subsequently, American researchers reassessed the data from the Russians. Following the evaluation, the Americans declared that Afghanistan possesses mineral assets worth between one to three trillion dollars, with copper, lithium, iron, coal, oil, gas, and precious metals among the major natural resources in Afghanistan.
