RASC News Agency: According to local sources in Badakhshan, the Taliban have been enforcing excessive taxation under the pretext of “Ushr” and “Zakat” from farmers in the region. On Monday, October 14, reports surfaced indicating that orchard owners bringing their produce to the market are being compelled by the Taliban to pay double the amount of these taxes. Farmers in Fayzabad assert that they have already paid the “Ushr” and “Zakat” taxes at the time of harvesting. However, when they take their products to the marketplace, Taliban officials demand these taxes again. Several farmers, unable to meet this repeated financial burden, have had their goods and produce confiscated by Taliban forces.
Since reclaiming power in Afghanistan, the Taliban has significantly increased the collection of “Ushr” and “Zakat”, reportedly as much as two to three times higher than before, to fund their operational expenses. Despite receiving $40 million weekly from the United States, the Taliban leadership allegedly siphons off much of these funds for personal gain, especially among the southern elites and Kabul leadership, while non-Pashtun local commanders remain marginalized. These commanders, often referred to as the “foot soldiers of fascism,” are accused of ramping up financial pressure on the local population to sustain their operations.
This situation highlights the increasing financial strain on communities in provinces like Badakhshan, where the Taliban is using aggressive tactics to extract funds, despite already receiving international support and financial assistance from various sources.
