RASC News Agency: Reports from Farah province in western Afghanistan suggest that Qatari Arabs have hired some Taliban members to identify rare bird habitats across the province. A local source in Farah, who requested anonymity, informed RASC News Agency on Sunday, April 21, that Qatari Arabs are providing monthly salaries to some Taliban members to locate rare bird habitats and report them.
The source mentioned that the Taliban receive between 10,000 and 20,000 kabuli rupees per month from the Qatari Arabs to report rare bird habitats. According to the source, most of these rare bird habitats are in the districts of Jowin and Purchaman in Farah province. Over the years, many of these rare birds have been transported via Qatari private jets to the United Arab Emirates, especially Qatar.
The source also stated that every six months, between 50 and 100 rare birds are transported abroad from Farah province, primarily to Qatar. Another source in Farah, who chose to remain anonymous, confirmed that the Qatari Arabs have established a global trade in rare birds from the province. The source stated that one of the reasons for the Qatari Arabs’ frequent travel to Farah province and western Afghanistan is the collection of rare birds.
The source added that hundreds of rare birds are transported from Farah province to Qatar annually, with no government or authority taking steps to prevent this. Moreover, Juma Gul, a resident of Farah, told RASC that during the previous government’s tenure, Qatari Arabs would provide monetary rewards to Farah residents upon arrival at the province’s airport.
However, he noted that currently, none of the activities that Qatari Arabs engaged in during the Ghani administration are receiving any attention. He added that in some cases, the Taliban discourage the people of Farah province from maintaining long-term ties with the Qatari Arabs. Meanwhile, Dil Agha Marouf, a civil activist in western Afghanistan, told RASC News Agency: “The Qatari Arabs claim to be launching projects or engaging in other initiatives, but in reality, they are interfering in the country’s internal affairs.”
He further stated that the Qatari Arabs have been visiting Afghanistan, particularly Farah province, for over a decade and a half, using their wealth to influence many. Mr. Marouf asserted that the Taliban act as mere followers of the Qatari Arabs, yielding control of the country to them and taking on a spectator role.VIn this context, no Taliban officials in Farah were available for comment.VIt’s worth noting that Farah province in western Afghanistan is considered a strategic area for foreign countries.
