Connect with us

Latest News

Bactrian Hoard moved to Presidential Palace 

Published

on

The Bactrian Hoard, one of the five greatest treasure collections in the world  – has gone on display at the Presidential Palace in Kabul. 

The Presidential Palace (ARG) said in a statement on Wednesday that the government of Afghanistan is committed to preserving and protecting this historical collection. 
 
The Bactrian gold was excavated by Russian archaeologist Viktor Sariandi in 1978 in Jowzjan province. Sariandi and his team unearthed over 21,000 pieces of gold from six burial chambers dated back to around the 1st century BC. 
 
The hoard had belonged to the Yuezhi royal dynasty and it lay undisturbed for 2,000 years. 
 
The hoard, which includes necklaces set with semi-precious stones, medallions, belts, and a crown, went missing during the civil war in the early 1990s until it was “rediscovered” in secret vaults under the central bank building in Kabul and brought to public attention again in 2003. 
 
Only five trusted individuals had keys to the vault.
 
The treasure is now being stored safely in the Presidential Palace after concerns were raised recently about its safety. 
 
Last month, Rahman Rahmani, the Speaker of the Wolesi Jirga, called for the treasure to be sent out of the country and stored abroad for safekeeping.
 
Rahmani said the Central Bank, where the gold was housed, was unreliable, and he insisted on transferring the hoard to a more trustworthy country on loan.
 
In addition to this, some lawyers also called on government to examine the state of the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
 
The issue was raised after SIGAR released a report last month stating that vast amounts of money is still being smuggled out of the country, especially out of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul – and specifically through the VIP area.
 
“If money is smuggled, the Bactrian treasure will not be safe, and this treasure is to support Afghanistan’s money and must be transferred to another country because the Central Bank lacks credit, and this is a very serious matter,” Rahmani said.
 
Another MP, Nilofar Ibrahimi said: “Action must be taken to prevent the transfer of Bakhtar treasures, because the Central Bank’s cameras have been turned off for two months and we are concerned about the distrust of the current government and this treasure is in danger of being smuggled and should be transferred to a trustworthy country.”
 
The total collection is estimated to be worth around $13 billion. Over the past 13 years, the treasure has been exhibited in foreign countries, earning Afghanistan about 314 million Afghanis.
 
In reaction to the parliament claims the Presidential Palace (ARG) called for calm, saying recently that Bactrian Hoard “is one of the greatests assets of the Afghan people, which has been preserved in the maze of history in which the country’s assets were looted.”
 
ARG also stated that government has protected this historical treasure in a responsible manner and has allowed it to be exhibited several times in countries around the world.
 
The exhibitions have been done in a way for the treasure to represent “the history and identity of Afghanistan, and significant revenues to the state treasury have been obtained through this,” said ARG.
 
 
 

Latest News

Afghanistan received more than $11 billion in humanitarian aid over the past five years

Published

on

Afghanistan has received more than $11 billion in humanitarian assistance since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in August 2021, according to United Nations figures cited by the BBC.

Despite the substantial aid, the gap between humanitarian needs and available funding remains wide, with the United Nations warning that millions of Afghans continue to require assistance.

The decline in international funding, a growing number of people in need and the return of millions of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries have added pressure to the country’s humanitarian situation.

Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis deepened following the collapse of the previous government in August 2021. The depreciation of the national currency, the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and reductions in some international support programs further strained the economy and living conditions.

UN data shows that Afghanistan received about $5.2 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2021, followed by around $3.8 billion in 2022 and nearly $2 billion in 2023.

For 2024 and 2025, the United Nations appealed for more than $3 billion to address humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. However, funding fell short of the amounts requested.

The assistance has largely been directed toward food, healthcare, support for returnees and other urgent humanitarian needs.

The United Nations continues to classify Afghanistan as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, stressing that sustained international support remains essential for millions of Afghans who continue to need assistance.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Afghanistan expresses condolences over deadly Indonesia earthquake

Published

on

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed deep sorrow over a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 53 people and forcing around 5,000 others to evacuate.

A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Flores Island and surrounding areas on Saturday, blocking roads and triggering landslides, Indonesian authorities said.

In a statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its sympathy and condolences to the government and people of Indonesia over the casualties caused by the earthquake.

It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.

 

Continue Reading

Latest News

Afghan commerce minister meets Uzbek deputy prime minister in Termez

Published

on

Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, met with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshed Khojaev in the city of Termez to discuss expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.

The meeting, held on Saturday at the Termez Trade Center, focused on cooperation in the electricity, mining and agriculture sectors, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement.

Uzbek officials expressed interest in investing in various sectors in Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation welcomed the interest and emphasized its readiness to create the necessary conditions for expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.

Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, governor of Balkh, and Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Tashkent, also attended the meeting.

 

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2026 Ariana News. All rights reserved!