RASC News Agency: The Taliban in Nangarhar Province have been accused of selling 400 livestock that were collected under the pretext of Zakat (alms). The Taliban Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in Nangarhar confirmed the sale of 329 sheep and goats, which had been collected from local residents as Zakat. These animals were sold at auction for over 2 million Kabuli rupees. Ministry officials disclosed that the livestock were gathered from nine districts within the province. Ajmal Subhani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture in Nangarhar, stated that the collection of livestock including sheep, cattle, goats, and other animals has begun in other districts as well, with plans to auction them off in the near future.
Local residents have reported that the Taliban has been accepting goats and sheep as Zakat, only to sell them and pocket the proceeds. Subhani, however, claimed that the revenue from these sales is being deposited into the Taliban treasury. Residents of Nangarhar have previously complained that the Taliban uses various excuses to extort money and goods from them. It is alleged that funds, wheat, and other resources collected in the name of Zakat and usher (a tax on agricultural produce) are distributed among local Taliban officials.
The Taliban has been collecting a portion of agricultural produce as usher, yet they have not provided any transparency regarding how the funds are managed or utilized. This comes as Afghanistan grapples with a severe economic crisis, with nearly half of the population reliant on humanitarian aid.
