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SIGAR finds Taliban income mainly generated through illicit dealings
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a report that the primary sources of income for the Taliban are narcotics, illicit mining, and other illegal activities.
SIGAR, citing a UN Security Council report, said the Taliban has continued to adapt and expand its ability to maintain and generate financial revenues to support their operations from June 2019.
“The primary sources of income for the Taliban remain narcotics, illicit mineral and other resource extraction, taxation, extortion, the sale of commercial and government services and property, and donations from abroad,” the report said.
The UN report states that Afghan officials estimate Taliban income from narcotics between June 2018 and June 2019 amounted to approximately $400 million.
The report also notes that the Taliban now controls all aspects of narcotics production, which likely indicates that their total revenues are even higher.
“In our February 2018 meeting, a senior official from the Resolute Support Counter Threat Finance Cell estimated that between 40 to 60 percent of the Taliban’s revenue comes from narcotics trafficking,” the report added.
According to SIGAR, Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of opium and the source of more than 90 percent of the world’s heroin.
SIGAR’s finding shows that the US has allocated more than $8 billion to fight opium production and trafficking in Afghanistan since the collapse of the Taliban regime in 2021.
“We previously reported that despite this enormous investment, “no counterdrug program undertaken by the United States, its coalition partners, or the Afghan government resulted in a lasting reduction in poppy cultivation or opium production,” SIGAR said.
The Taliban, however, has rejected the report, stating, “a number of provincial governors, ministers, commanders, and border forces are involved in drug smuggling.”
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AI backs Argentina in World Cup final, but football still has final say
One of the most common scoreline forecasts is a 2-1 victory for Argentina, with Lionel Messi tipped to either score or play a decisive role in the match.
As the football world counts down to tonight’s FIFA World Cup final, artificial intelligence has weighed in with its prediction – and it’s backing Argentina to edge Spain in a closely contested showdown.
After analysing thousands of data points, including team form, player performances, goals scored, defensive records and head-to-head statistics, several AI prediction models are giving Argentina a narrow advantage over Spain.
One of the most common scoreline forecasts is a 2-1 victory for Argentina, with Lionel Messi tipped to either score or play a decisive role in the match. Some AI models have also named Messi as the likely Player of the Match, while predicting the final will be settled within 90 minutes.
Spain, however, remains far from an underdog. The European champions have impressed throughout the tournament with disciplined defending, clinical finishing and a possession-based style that has frustrated opponents.
While AI can process vast amounts of historical data in seconds, it cannot predict the emotion, drama and unpredictability that make football the world’s most popular sport.
History is filled with matches that defied statistics, from giant-killing upsets to dramatic late winners and penalty shoot-outs that left millions stunned.
Fans have been quick to debate the AI prediction on social media, with many insisting that “football isn’t played on a computer.” Others have embraced the technology, comparing their own score predictions with those generated by artificial intelligence.
Whether AI proves to be a football genius or gets it spectacularly wrong will only become clear when the final whistle blows.
One thing is certain: when Argentina and Spain step onto the pitch tonight, algorithms will take a back seat to skill, passion and whatever surprises football has in store.
So, who’s your pick? Argentina? Spain? Or will the World Cup be decided after extra time or penalties? Tonight, the beautiful game will have the final answer.
VISIT ATN AND ARIANA NEWS’ SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES TO COMMENT AND HAVE YOUR SAY ON WHO YOU THINK WILL WIN.
Don’t forget – fans across Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Television from 10pm tonight, Sunday July 19, for the preshow ahead of kickoff of tonight’s much anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Local authorities in Nimroz say the bodies of five young Afghans who were attempting to cross into Iran illegally have been recovered from the desert in Chahar Burjak district.
Gol Mohammad Qudrat, spokesperson for the Nimroz Police Command, said the group left Zaranj, the provincial capital, about eight days ago in a vehicle bound for Iran. The vehicle reportedly became stranded in the Chahar Burjak desert during a dust storm, and the passengers died from extreme heat and dehydration.
Qudrat said around 19 people were traveling in the vehicle. Search and rescue efforts are still underway to locate the remaining victims.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Finance and Administration, Mohammad Naeem, says the Islamic Emirate’s ban on poppy cultivation not only promotes public health and security but also strengthens Afghanistan’s international standing.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Naeem made the remarks during a meeting organized by the ministry’s Directorate of Dawat and Guidance to explain the Islamic Emirate’s decree banning poppy cultivation.
The ministry said the meeting was attended by ministry officials, employees and religious scholars, who discussed the objectives, legal and social aspects of the decree, international support for the ban, the Islamic Emirate’s counter-narcotics policy, and its impact on preventing the cultivation, production, trafficking and use of narcotics.
Naeem described combating narcotics as a shared social responsibility, urging citizens to help raise public awareness and protect communities, particularly young people, from drug abuse.
He said the full implementation of the decree is important not only for improving public health, security and prosperity, but also for advancing Afghanistan’s development, strengthening the rule of law and enhancing the country’s international standing.
The meeting concluded with a call for greater public awareness and continued cooperation to ensure the effective implementation of the decree banning poppy cultivation.
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