BILAL SARWARY Profile picture
Apr 4 10 tweets 2 min read
#AFG If this was one EPIC failure over the last 20years it was the wicked counter- narcotics strategy.The British plan of announcing payments for anyone erradicating poppy fields backfired,word soon travelled like a bullet on radio,&massive corruption on the ground was evident,
everyone wrote more land so they could get money. Spraying pesticides from sky destroying livelihoods and crops deprived poor communities and caused skin diseases as on one trip to Pachir Agam I found out.
What Afghanistan needed and still need is a long term comprehensive strategy. But with no artificial deadlines and timelines. How long did it take China? Thailand? Burma? Turkey? Pakistan? Iran?
The opium crop was a direct impact of the Russian invasion, people had to abandon their pomegranates and grapes 🍇 to turn into poppies because it brought more money at a time when people didn’t see any hope. Drought resistant, this was the crop of the choice
after destruction of important infrastructure especially traditional irrigation canals known as Kareez.
The successful Counter- Narcotics strategy in the golden triangle, ban by Khomeini in Iran, and the fact that Mujahideen factions were benefiting from the crop was another reason it became deeply interwoven into the rural economy of Afghanistan 🇦🇫
Over the last 20 years, Taliban benefited from taxation, protection of the trade and support from rural communities. Certain Afghan government officials and drug dealers also worked hand and hand.
Taliban ban on poppy crops at a time when harvest is over, will also mean increase prices. Stocks of opium with Taliban commanders and leader’s especially in Southern provinces of Helmand, Kabdahar and Uruzgan. But again, depriving farmers of their livelihoods without providing
a visible alternative is going to be a tricky situation for the Taliban.
Will the Taliban shut heroine processing factories and crack down on those responsible for the heroine trade? Will they announce a ban on chemicals that are used in the processing? Same chemicals used for carpet washing. Time will tell…

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More from @bsarwary

Apr 4
نورستان د افغانستان په ختیځ کې پروت هغه ولایت دی ، درې برخې لري چې د شرقي، غربي او مرکزي نورستان څخه عبارت دی.
نورستان اته ولسوالۍ لري، چې د ښکلا بیلګې یې د نړۍ په کچه خورا مشهورې دي.
نورستان په تېرو شلو کلونو کې له بیارغونې او ابادۍ لیرې پاتې شوی، که چیرې یې د سړکونو ، پارکونو، ودانیو او اړونده برخو رغونې ته پام شوی وای نو د نړۍ د مشهورو سیاحتي ځایونو ځای به یې نیولی وای.
تیرو څو کلونو کې د ملي پارک په نوم نومول شوی وو خو هغه اړونده اسانتیاوې یې نلرلې.
په ختیځ کې پروت د نورستان د سیاحتي او اقتصادي پلوه خورا مهم دی.
په نورستان کې د قیمتي ډبرو کانونه ځنکلونه او نندارې سیمې تر بلې هرې سیمې زیاتې دي، خو متاسفانه چې په تېرو شلو کلونو کې دغه ولایت د جګړې او اقتصادي مافیا په منګلونو کې پروت او د بیارغونې له پلوه صفر وو.
Read 9 tweets
Mar 25
Taliban intelligence chief for Ningarhar Mullah Bashir, now leading a large scale operation against ISKP in Kunar province: Mazar valley in Noargal, Dewagal in Sawkay and Badeel in Narang. Over the last 3 months, ISKP took control of the 3 strategic valleys. Previously under the
Republic, the Taliban drove ISKP from valleys when they were offered a safe corridor by former Afghan government. ISKP positions were bombed by American air strikes often planned with coordinates provided by Taliban in a one of a kind CT coaporarion between Taliban
and Americans under former republic. Now - Around 2000 Taliban fighters backed by Badri units from Kabul and Jalalabad started the operations in the morning.
Read 13 tweets
Feb 25
A glimpse of reality from an Afghan student stranded in Ukraine - seeking to get to Poland where a final interview for a US scholarship awaits. She hopes to join Rutgers University.
Masooma Tajik made her way into Lviv trying to cross into Poland 🇵🇱
She tells me “ And I can't find still water at stores.”
Read 12 tweets
Feb 12
#AFG “Home of Engineer Mohammad Khan , was attacked in Kabul at 2AM. His son Yasir along with his bodyguard were murdered. His wife is in critical conditions.” Sources close to Enginner Mohammad Khan and his relatives tells me.
Eng. Mohammad Khan was deputy to Docter Abdullah Abdullah. He was also the former Hizbe Islami intelligence chief in Peshawer, Pakistan during Jihad days and latter on in Kabul during the civil war. Eng. Mohammad khan is currently in Turkey, and hails from Qarabagh, Ghazni.
Enginner Mohammad Khan reacts to the deadly attack against his home in Kabul : “ Last night at 2AM, armed attackers got into my home, they murdered my 16 year old son, and grandson of my uncle. My wife and her cousin were wounded. I have no enmity of Personel rivalry with anyone Image
Read 4 tweets
Feb 12
#AFG Afghans were promised they will be evacuated. Nonetheless, it is important the international community agrees on an evacuation hub to enable the evacuation of those who are eligible but do not have passports or other travel documents. It is also important to have more
coordination among Western allies on how eligible Afghans can be evacuated &accelerate the process in view of increasing,&unfortunately expected,persecution,killing &assassination of Afghans who have had an association with former gov,international allies&the wider civil society.
Evacuations must not have artificial deadlines and timelines attached to them. Afghans in their thousands are inside Afghanistan, they have been struggling to get clear updates and further guidance. America and Canada but also other countries must start recruiting additional
Read 8 tweets
Dec 24, 2021
#AFG Pakistani military shelling and artillery attacks targeting hamlets in Ganjgaal,Sarkano, Kunar , on the Durrand Line. Taliban soldiers retaliated and fired artillery against Pakistani forces, clashes continued for 30 minutes in the afternoon.
“ A TTP sniper fired and shot dead two Pakistani soldiers, Pakistani forces retaliated and started attacking hamlets with artillery and shellings. Taliban soon retaliated using artillery, two Pakistani check posts.” Tribal elders and villagers in Ganjgal, Sarkano tells me.
“Clashes have resumed between Taliban and Pakistani military forces . Taliban firing artillery from Sarkano and Dangam districts, both on the Durrand line. Taliban governor for Kunar instructed Taliban soldiers to fire against Pakistani forces.” Villagers, tribal elders tells me.
Read 4 tweets

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