Afghanistan- 'Eliminate narcotics to defeat Taliban'

12/3/2017 10:57:55 AM

(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: John F. Sopko, the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has said that winning the war against the Taliban is impossible without elimination of narcotics in Afghanistan.

He sees elimination of narcotics in the country as an urgent need, stressing that the drug traffic and trade form 60 percent of Taliban's revenue.

According to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR)'s latest findings, drug trafficking and narcotics are said to fuel the core of Taliban war against Afghan and international security forces, making them as undefeatable militants in the country.

'Until destroying the financial resources of the Taliban, we will not win the current war against the Taliban. Gen. John Nicholson also clearly indicated that drug trafficking and narcotics form 60 percent of Taliban revenue. I think that if you want to win over the Taliban, you primarily have to act against drugs and narcotics,' said John F. Sopko.

Meanwhile, Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. Commander of the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan states that the Taliban generates $200 million revenue through its drug traffic and trade in the country.

'Taliban's income through the illegal trade of drug is more than their war expenses and the leader of the group are fighting just for the lucrative illegal trade,' the commander added.

It is worth mentioning that Afghan and foreign forces have kicked off targeting Taliban's drug labs few days ago. The Afghan forces have already destroyed many drug factories of the militant groups mainly in the southern Helmand province.

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