As insurgents, the Taleban taxed farmers, businesses and NGOs in areas under their control, using the money to fund their war effort. On taking power in August 2021, they swiftly moved to collect taxes in the whole of the country. That serious-minded pursuit of domestic revenue collection is both a practice carried over from the insurgency and now also a necessity. The Emirate found itself in a position almost unheard of for Afghan rulers – it enjoys no foreign subsidies. In a new special report, Kate Clark, with research support from AAN’s Afghan team, explores the profound implications of Taleban taxation for Afghanistan’s economy, its people, the citizen-state relationship and aid.
Head of customs for the Hairatan border crossing in Balkh province, Abdul Sattar Rashid (second left), with other Taleban on the Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge.
The Taleban moved swiftly to organise and regularise the collection of customs and taxes as they took power in 2021. Photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP, 27 October 2021
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This article was last updated on 28 Sep 2022
