RASC News Agency: Residents of Panjshir report escalating extortion by the Taliban, who continue to impose financial demands under various pretexts, deepening the economic hardship of local communities. According to Aminullah (pseudonym), a resident of Abdullah Khil Valley, the Taliban and their affiliates have recently ordered residents to contribute funds for constructing a health center. The project estimated to cost 1 million Kabuli rupees is to be built in Abdullah Khil District, with equal financial contributions forcibly collected from both Abdullah Khil and Abshar districts.
“The Taliban have mandated that every married individual must pay 190 Kabuli rupees, while those receiving food assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP) are required to contribute 500 Kabuli rupees,” Aminullah told RASC. Residents assert that these funds are being collected under duress, without official documentation, transparency, or guarantees regarding their use. “They imprisoned half the people and released them only after extorting money. Now, having exhausted other excuses, they are using the construction of a so-called clinic as a new means of financial exploitation. This is not public service it is pure extortion,” Aminullah added.
Another resident, Asadullah (pseudonym), noted that two fully functional health centers already exist one in Tangkhoy and another in Abshar rendering the Taliban’s justification baseless. “This is nothing but economic coercion,” he said. Other residents report that the Taliban specifically target married individuals and those receiving humanitarian aid, forcing many to borrow money just to comply. “People don’t even have food for the night, yet they are compelled to take loans to meet these unjust demands. There are no receipts, no paperwork nothing official. They simply order us to pay, and resistance is met with severe consequences,” one resident stated.
The Taliban’s systematic extortion campaign, particularly in Tajik-populated areas, has become a widespread tactic of financial repression, further suffocating local communities and reinforcing their authoritarian grip through economic subjugation.
