In a rare trip to the southern province of Helmand, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada urged residents and local officials to strictly implement his decrees and reaffirmed a ban on poppy cultivation, according to local sources.
Akhundzada traveled to Helmand on Saturday, April 18, alongside Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, in what sources described as a rare joint visit by the Taliban’s top leadership. They met with local officials and residents in districts including Kajaki and Gereshk.
During the trip, Akhundzada laid the foundation stone for a mosque in Kajaki and delivered remarks emphasizing obedience to Taliban leadership and the importance of maintaining unity within the movement.
He also reiterated the Taliban’s ban on opium poppy cultivation, calling on farmers to comply with the policy. The issue has been a persistent challenge in Helmand, historically one of Afghanistan’s largest opium-producing provinces.
Residents at the gathering were given limited opportunity to speak, according to sources. One participant raised concerns about water shortages, lack of basic services and worsening economic conditions.
Local residents say many families, particularly in rural districts, are facing severe financial hardship and have few alternative sources of income. The absence of viable economic substitutes has complicated efforts to enforce the poppy ban.
Recent reports indicate that poppy cultivation in Helmand has increased compared with last year, and tensions have emerged in some areas between Taliban and farmers over the destruction of crops.
Sources said the Taliban leader instructed local officials to address public grievances, though no specific measures were announced.
Taliban have not publicly released details of the visit.
