MP-IDSA - Issue Brief S

The Taliban will have to regain the trust of the international community by fulfilling its commitments contained in the Doha agreement, to enable it to access resources to bring about the desired changes in Afghan economy and society. [...] “AFGHANISTAN’S CHANGING DRUG DYNAMICS” On 6 May 2024, in a confrontation between the Taliban and local inhabitants in the Argo district of Badakhshan Province concerning the eradication of poppy fields, a resident was killed and several others were severely injured.1 This uprising of local residents against the Taliban started from the incident that unfolded in the Daraim district two days back, r. [...] Notably, the conversion of ephedrine into methamphetamine is a relatively simple process, requiring minimal expertise compared to the utilisation of other precursor chemicals.19 The UNODC reports insufficient presence of ephedra in Afghanistan to meet the demand for methamphetamine in the market. [...] Tajikistan also has not registered any decline in drug trafficking of opiates and other drugs originating in neighbouring Afghanistan despite the ban.28 Speculations about the rise in the drug market are high at a time when drug lords like Haji Bashir,29 who in the 1980s provided weapons and financially supported the Taliban in their war against the Soviets, had been recently released by the US in. [...] The persistence of this illicit activity reflects the enduring challenges faced by farmers in transitioning from the lucrative business of poppy production, particularly in the absence of support from the Taliban regime.