The Once Booming Drug Town Going Bust Under Taliban Rule
Briefly

The Taliban's governance turned a remote district into a laboratory for a future state, utilizing opium trade for funding while providing a sanctuary for fighters.
In a dramatic shift, the Taliban, after embracing opium for financing during war, has now effectively cleared Afghanistan of poppy and other illicit drugs.
This oasis, once a hub for poppy cultivation, now shows only a fraction of its former abundance, indicating a significant transformation in Taliban policy.
The end of the opium trade in Afghanistan illustrates a striking contrast to the previous two decades of U.S. efforts to eradicate the drug crops.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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