131 acres of Badakhshan land cleared of poppy: MoI

KABUL (Pajhwok): Poppy crops have been destroyed on about 131 acres of land in five districts of northeastern Badakhshan province during separate operations, an official said on Sunday.

Ministry of Interior (MoI) spokesman Abdul Matin Qane wrote on his X handle that anti-narcotics forces destroyed the banned plant on 40 acres of land in Darayim, 35 acres in Baharak, 30 acres in Argo, 15 acres in Kishim districts and 11 acres in Faizabad city.

The poppy eradication drive commenced on May 3 in Darayim and Argo districts, triggering a protest and clash between police and farmers, in which two people died, prompting the government to send a delegation to the province to investigate the incident.

Led by Ministry of Defense Chief of Staff Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, the delegation has been asked to report to the Prime Minister.

Fitrat emphasized the protest by farmers did not disrupt the anti-poppy operation, which would continue until the plant’s cultivation was brought to zero in the country.

hz/ma