RASC News Agency: Local sources in Takhar province report that the Taliban are coercing residents into paying money under the guise of repairing and reconstructing the Khwaja Bahuddin–Dasht Qala road. On Friday, November 15, sources confirmed that the Taliban have demanded payments ranging from 300 to 500 kabuli rupees per family in the district. These reports indicate that the Taliban made similar collections last year, claiming the funds were for the same road project. However, locals assert that the amount being raised is grossly inadequate to cover the actual costs of road construction, fueling skepticism about the Taliban’s true intentions.
Residents emphasize that the deteriorated condition of the road has severely disrupted daily life, with reports of patients dying en route to provincial medical centers due to the impassable route. Despite these pressing issues, the local Taliban administration in Takhar has remained silent on the matter. Additionally, residents allege that the Taliban had pledged to construct a 140-kilometer public road connecting the seven districts of Mowaray-Kokcha. Nearly two years have passed since this promise, yet no tangible progress has been made.
This issue is emblematic of the broader challenges facing Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The group has compounded public suffering by cutting citizens off from both public institutions and private enterprises, plunging the population deeper into poverty and unemployment. Simultaneously, significant international financial aid continues to flow into Afghanistan. The United States alone provides $90 million weekly, and the Taliban are reported to receive additional funds from numerous other intelligence agencies and international organizations.
These developments have sparked growing frustration among the Afghanistani people, who see the Taliban’s failure to deliver on promises and their imposition of financial burdens as an affront to their already dire circumstances. The group’s governance has done little to alleviate public hardships, instead intensifying the economic and social struggles of the nation.
