The Taliban have arrested a man in northern Faryab province on charges of illegally excavating historical artifacts, local sources told Amu on Tuesday.
A source in Qorghon district said two men had been secretly digging for antiquities in the Dasht Kamangar area for the past three days. One was detained while the other managed to escape, the source said.
Taliban authorities seized a number of ancient objects from the suspects, according to the sources.
The arrest comes amid growing criticism of the Taliban’s handling and preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage.
Citizens and archaeologists have voiced concern that the country’s antiquities — considered a shared national treasure — face neglect and potential loss under Taliban rule.
