Afghanistan: Insurgents Profit from Afghan Pistachio

Mar 26, 2018 | Benafsha Benish, Institute for War & Peace Reporting
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Residents of the northwestern province of Baghdis, home to Afghanistan’s highest concentration of pistachio forests, warn that armed gangs and Taleban fighters have taken over the precious natural resource and now make millions of dollars from selling the nuts. The province’s pistachio forests had long been considered a resource that all could draw on, as long as locals harvested the crop at the proper time and handed a portion over to the government.