Afghanistan: Afghan Mineral Wealth Being Looted by Strongmen, Experts Say

Apr 14, 2016 | Lynne O'Donnell, Associated Press
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The brilliant blue stone lapis lazuli, prized for millennia, is almost uniquely found in Afghanistan, a key part of the extensive mineral wealth that is seen as the best hope for funding development of one of the world's poorest nations. Instead, lapis has become a source of income for the Taliban, smugglers and local warlords, emblematic of the central government's struggle to gain control over the resources and rein in corruption.