Taliban Grants Hunting Permits to Arab Hunters Amid Nationwide Ban

Local sources in Kandahar and Zabul provinces have reported that the Taliban has once again granted permission to a group of Arab hunters to hunt birds in the mountains and plains of these areas. This comes at a time when bird hunting is prohibited for ordinary residents of Afghanistan and carries legal repercussions. It is said that this Saudi group, armed with official documents from the Taliban’s environmental authority, is engaging in extensive hunting, only taking the livers of the caught birds with them…

Permission for Hunting and Tourism

Local sources in Kandahar and Zabul provinces have informed media outlets that the Taliban government has once again issued permits to a group of Arab hunters to hunt birds in these regions. According to these sources, this group of Arabs has been hunting in the mountains and plains of Kandahar and Zabul using three vehicles since last week.

These foreign hunters are actively capturing birds in vital areas such as the plains and mountains of the districts of Daman, Arghistan, and Maiwand in Kandahar, as well as in the Shahr Safa district of Zabul.

A source from Arghistan district in Kandahar stated that these individuals hold hunting licenses issued by the Taliban’s environmental protection agency, as well as tourism permits from the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture.

Taking Livers and Leaving Corpses

An issue that has heightened local discontent is the irresponsible hunting methods employed by these groups. According to this local source, the Arab hunters only take the livers of the hunted birds and leave the remaining carcasses in the desert and plains. This practice leads to the destruction of valuable environmental resources and local wildlife.

A source in the Shahr Safa district of Zabul also mentioned that these individuals arrived in the provinces accompanied by several Afghan guards and servants.

Contradiction in Taliban Environmental Policies

These actions come amid the Taliban’s official ban on bird hunting across various provinces in the country, during which many ordinary residents have been imprisoned or detained for hunting.

However, since retaking control of the country in August 2021, the Taliban has repeatedly allowed groups of Arabs to hunt in the mountains and plains of the southern regions, demonstrating a double standard in their approach to environmental issues.