Taliban Find New Revenues as They Seize Afghanistan’s U.S.-Built Border Gateway

KABUL—The Taliban have attained a worthwhile new resource of income, taking in excess of the key trade gateway into Tajikistan, and beginning to collect customs revenues, as some of Afghanistan’s neighbors tacitly cooperate with the insurgent group.

The American-developed Sher Khan Bandar crossing, north of the metropolis of Kunduz, fell to the Taliban on June 22, with 134 border guards and other Afghan federal government troops fleeing to neighboring Tajikistan. Considering that then, the insurgents have seized most of the relaxation of Afghanistan’s border with Tajikistan. Virtually one,000 Afghan troops sought refuge in Tajikistan on Sunday and Monday, surrendering the 2nd principal crossing, Ishkashim.

Rather of shutting down right after the insurgent takeover, the Sher Khan Bandar elaborate has remained operational, with tacit understandings achieved amongst the Taliban and Tajikistan, in accordance to local traders.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen mentioned the group had achieved out to the governments of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan right after taking in excess of several border parts in June.

“We educated all these governments and certain them that the plan perform of the border, the customs, will be functioning as in advance of,” Mr. Shaheen mentioned in an job interview. “Even the personnel customers of the customs, we have not adjusted them, we instructed them: Do your perform as it was. We haven’t even adjusted the stamps. The reason is that we never want to develop problems for businessmen, for traders, for frequent people today.”