For years, Afghanistan served as the world’s leading producer of opium, a key ingredient in the street drug heroin. The country reached this level of production after years of widespread and violent conflict. In April 2022, the Taliban declared a complete ban on the crop and spent the next several months eradicating it from the country. With opium production off the table, Afghanistan’s rural population is struggling to make ends meet, worsening the already poor humanitarian situation in the country.

Middle EastBy Michael HalebianMay 13, 2024Afghanistan, opium, heroin, Mujahideen, drugs, narcotics