The Taliban have long profited from the opium trade by taxing and providing security for producers and smugglers. The increase in processing means the Taliban have been able to take a greater share of the $60 billion that the global trade in the Afghan opium crop is estimated to be worth. Opium eradication or interception got little attention in the Trump administration’s new strategy for the Afghan war. Mr. Qaem said the situation could improve if opium crop eradication efforts factored more into the planning of security operations. A United States Army Special Forces member working with the unit said advisers accompanied the Afghan force on about 30 percent of its operations.

Source: New York Times October 29, 2017 17:37 UTC