Taliban’s very successful Opium Crackdown Piles Pressure on Spiraling Afghan Economy

You can say a lot about the Taliban, but this one is impressive, but achieved with draconian measures!

I very recently blogged here about a BBC report on the extensive efforts to fight  opium growing by the Taliban.

Are the Taliban doing this only for religious reasons or e.g. is another country influencing or paying them to do it (perhaps even the U.S.)?

"The slash in poppy cultivation of [99%] in Afghanistan’s Helmand province—which normally accounts for half the country’s opium output—from 2022 to 2023, according to satellite-data analysis firm Alcis. Afghan poppy is used to produce the majority of the world’s heroin. The decrease shows the Taliban’s willingness to enforce a ban on a cash crop during a debilitating national economic crisis, as it seeks recognition as the country’s legitimate government. ..."

Taliban’s Opium Crackdown Piles Pressure on Spiraling Afghan Economy - WSJ Ban on poppy farming risks pushing more Afghans into poverty