Afghanistan’s coal industry—now one of the Taliban’s largest revenue sources—has become increasingly unstable as local Taliban commanders impose their own rules, taxes, and restrictions across major mining provinces. The lack of centralized oversight has turned what could be a structured national industry into a fragmented system shaped by competing interests, unpredictable taxation, and widespread coercion.
Mining regions in Baghlan, Samangan, Bamyan, and Takhar report that operations are often dictated not by formal regulations but by the authority of local Taliban units. Miners and transporters say each district, and sometimes each checkpoint, applies its own tariff. Rates can shift from day to day, and payments are frequently taken in cash without receipts—making financial tracking nearly impossible.
Truck drivers transporting coal to Pakistan describe the journey as “uncertain from the moment it begins.” Different Taliban factions reportedly charge different amounts, stop convoys without explanation, or delay shipments until additional payments are made. Traders say these practices have transformed coal transport into a high-risk enterprise, undermining predictable supply chains and inflating export costs.
Inside the mines, the situation is equally troubling. With production accelerated to meet regional demand—especially from Pakistan—safety protocols have eroded. Miners report collapsing tunnels, toxic gas exposure, and the absence of protective equipment. Families of injured or deceased workers say there is no compensation system, no official investigation, and no authority willing to take responsibility. Decisions are often left to the discretion of whichever commander oversees the area.
Human rights observers warn that child labor, long a problem in Afghanistan’s coal sector, has worsened under the current unregulated conditions. The absence of monitoring mechanisms, combined with informal taxation networks, has created an environment in which violations go undocumented and unchallenged.
Pakistan—Afghanistan’s largest coal customer—has also been affected by the disorder. Sudden tariff increases, inconsistent pricing, and unannounced road closures regularly disrupt imports. Analysts say this instability undermines Pakistan’s reliance on Afghan coal at a time when its own energy sector is under severe strain.
Experts note that Afghanistan’s coal industry could theoretically transform into a stable revenue engine if four conditions were met: unified regulation, transparent taxation, safety enforcement, and environmental oversight. But with authority fragmented among local Taliban units—each acting autonomously—these conditions remain out of reach.
For now, the coal sector reflects a broader reality inside Afghanistan: a state where centralized governance exists on paper, but real power is dispersed among networks of commanders whose decisions shape daily economic life. Until this structure changes, analysts say Afghanistan’s coal industry will remain profitable but dangerously unstable.
