Afghan Taliban income crosses $1.5 billion: International media report

Afghan Taliban income crosses $1.5 billion: International media report

KABUL - Afghan Taliban annually earns more than $1.5 billion from drug dealing, illegal mining, collecting electricity bills and financial support from a number of countries, a BBC report has revealed.

The report said that this year Taliban’s financial resources and the money they get from these resources have increased against previous years.

According to the report, from 2015 onwards, it was mostly estimated that Taliban yearly were earning around $400 million.

“This war is a war from outside. Today, you know, that the militants are supported from many sources such as drugs, drug smugglings, access to customs and support from different countries,” said Dadullah Qane, deputy head of the National United Party of Afghanistan.

The report says Taliban yearly earns from $100 million to $400 million from drugs and taxes; $50 million from mines extractions and $500 million from Iran, Pakistan, Russia and gulf countries which are the biggest supporters of Taliban.