In Afghanistan, the new leadership of the militant Islamist Taliban has confiscated more than twelve million US dollars (around 10.2 million euros) in the form of cash and gold bars, according to official figures. The central bank announced this on Wednesday evening (local time) in the capital Kabul. The money and gold were found in the homes of members of the previous government and former senior officials, it said.
The former Vice President Amrullah Saleh was named by name. Saleh declared himself incumbent president of the Central Asian country last month after former President Ashraf Ghani fled. Since the Taliban came to power in mid-August, he has been building resistance in the Punjir province. The exact amount allegedly confiscated from Saleh’s house was not disclosed. The central bank is now controlled by the Taliban.
A senior Taliban claimed on Twitter that Saleh had found more than $ 6 million in cash and 18 gold bars. At first he did not comment. His current whereabouts are unknown. Previously, Afghanistan’s former ambassador to Tajikistan, Mohammed Sahir Agbar, claimed that Ghani took $ 169 million with him when he escaped. The ex-president rejected this. According to media reports, the central bank also asked banks to freeze the accounts of former officials.
