Has corruption decreased in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban?

Has corruption decreased in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban?
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The issue of corruption in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban is one of the complex and multifaceted issues. After taking power in August 2021, the Taliban promised to reduce the widespread corruption that existed under the previous government. Some changes and early reports suggest that in some parts of the government, the systemic corruption that was rampant under the previous administration may have decreased. However, an accurate and comprehensive assessment of the corruption situation under the Taliban rule is still associated with challenges.

Some of the issues in this context:

  1. Elimination of some corrupt institutions: The Taliban have closed or reconstructed many government institutions. With the closure of some of these institutions and reduced access to foreign financial sources, the level of apparent corruption may have decreased.

  2. Strict approaches of the Taliban: In some cases, the Taliban have used strict approaches to deal with corruption. There are reports that the Taliban have dealt with some officials accused of corruption, and this action may have reduced overt corruption in some quarters.

  3. Reduction in international aid: The reduction in international aid to Afghanistan under Taliban rule may have limited opportunities for corruption, as one of the main sources of corruption in the past was the misuse of foreign financial aid.

  4. Corruption in other sectors: However, there are reports that corruption persists at local levels and in economic sectors, including tax collection and control of markets. Also, some sources report that corruption continues at lower levels in other forms such as extortion or demand for bribes.
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Therefore, although corruption may have decreased in some areas, it is still difficult to make a complete and comprehensive assessment of the level of corruption under Taliban rule due to the existing limitations for conducting independent investigations and accessing accurate information.