TAKHAR, Afghanistan — Dozens of residents in Takhar province staged protests against what they call the plundering of gold reserves in the Chah Ab district. The protests that started Sunday and continued into Monday called for addressing the issue by relevant institutions.
Demonstrators warned that they would escalate their protests if their grievances remained unaddressed.
Residents claim that homes, clinics, grazing lands, and farmland have been damaged by various companies, though they did not specify which firms were responsible or why the destruction had occurred.
Sources told Amu TV that companies operating in the region appear to be engaged in large-scale gold extraction.
“In recent days, dozens of excavators have arrived in the district. Some have moved toward the mining sites, while others have stopped in the district center due to public protests,” one source said. “The exploitation of northern Afghanistan’s mineral wealth has reached unprecedented levels in recent months.”
Protesters say they have repeatedly urged the Taliban-led local administration in Takhar to take action, but their appeals have gone unanswered.
Meanwhile, other sources reported that dozens of outside companies have moved into the Shehr-e Buzurg district of neighboring Badakhshan province and begun extracting minerals.
Residents of Chah Ab have vowed to continue their protests until authorities respond to their concerns.
Taliban have not publicly commented on the situation.
