Taliban News: A New Afghanistan Rising
The Taliban’s infrastructure push in Afghanistan is turning heads around the world. It is not just for its size but also, increasingly, as a source of strategic control over critical resources. The projects range from the largest man-made canal in Asia to multimillion-dollar urban redevelopment. They also include cross-border railways. These projects herald a profound change in Afghanistan’s economic and geopolitical landscape.
The Taliban are taking advantage of Afghanistan’s geographic position unlike earlier Afghan governments. They are exploiting its natural resources to wield regional power. They are doing this by plugging into waterways. They are tapping into energy supplies and minerals. They are also utilizing trade routes that could transform Central and South Asia. This article examines these game-changing projects in depth. It also looks at their potential effects on nearby nations. Additionally, it shows how Afghanistan can become a strategic crossroads in the continent’s new infrastructure map.
Table of Contents
Taliban News on Water Management: Koshepa Canal and Dam Projects
The Koshepa Canal: Asia’s Largest Desert-Made Man Canal
One of the largest projects in progress is the Koshepa Canal, some 400 kilometers north of Kabul. This 115-meter-wide canal is wider than California’s celebrated aqueduct system. It will deliver one-fifth of the water from Amu Darya River. This water will irrigate an expanse of 550,000 hectares of farmland, which is larger than America’s First State.
Effects on Agriculture: This canal has the potential to increase Afghanistan’s farmable land by a third. This means the country, for the first time in years, produce enough food to feed its own people.
Investment and Workforce: The project has an estimated cost of $684 million. The Taliban is contributing another $100 million for wages. 6,000 workers use heavy machine equipment to blast through some challenging terrain around the clock.
Regional Tensions Over Water Rights
Neighboring countries like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are worried. They depend heavily on the Amu Darya River to grow their cotton. The Taliban have made water a geopolitical tool. Afghanistan’s newfound toughness on taking its “fair share” of water has exacerbated regional tensions. This is the latest sign that water is now a card to play for geopolitical leverage by the Taliban.
Dams as Multi-Purpose Infrastructure
Outside the Koshepa, several dams are under construction. One of them is the Bakshabad Dam, which is being built under Iran. This is happening within a diplomatic feud over water rights. In fact, these dams have many important roles:
- Hydro-Electricity: Reducing Afghanistan’s reliance on imported energy.
- Irrigation: Investments in agriculture and food security.
- Negotiation Tool: Providing Afghanistan with leverage in negotiations with downstream neighbors who rely on common water.
Transparency and Reduced Corruption
The Taliban have reportedly brought new transparency and efficiency to some infrastructure projects. This is in contrast to the corruption-riddled governments that preceded it. Developments that had languished for years are now being finished. This is change in public project management and the use of resources of Afghanistan.
Taliban News: Urban Renewal with Kabul New City Project
Vision for a Modern Urban Hub
The Taliban’s vision is not limited to supporting rural development. The group also plans for urban redevelopment. The Kabul New City project is a megaproject of 722 square kilometers. It is nearly one-third larger than present-day Kabul.
- Housing: Plans for 250,000 housing units, which would supply homes to between 1.1 and 3 million Afghan residents as a try at relieving overcrowding in Kabul.
- Staged Development: Phase 1 includes the Golden City neighborhood, which holds 42,000 homes for approximately 23,000 people. Construction is ongoing on Parcel B and Parcel 2.6, valued at more than $700 million.
- Full infrastructure: schools, hospitals, universities, clinics, malls, green areas and service connections.
Long-Term Goals
This project spans 30 years in two main phases. It aims to create an attractive and dynamic urban destination. The focus is on commercial, agricultural, and recreational development. The goal is to set Kabul on par with contemporary Asian cities.
Taliban News on Strategic Trade and Energy Corridors
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Extension
In 2025, China, Pakistan and the Taliban signed a trilateral agreement. They agreed to extend the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan. This play will pave the way for China’s Xinjiang province to enter Central Asian markets through Pakistan and Afghanistan. It will also give them direct access to Afghanistan’s rich mineral resources.
Trans-Afghan Railway Project
When completed in 2025, the $4.8 billion railway will run for 573 km. It will connect Uzbekistan with Pakistan via Afghanistan. This railway will reduce travel times from 35 days to just four.
- Engineering Marvels: 300-plus bridges and five major tunnel bores continue elevating the line through some of the world’s toughest country.
- Connectivity: Improves trade and connections with Central Asia and South Asia.
Herat-Iran Railway Operational
Now you have operations in place on the Herat railway. It links Afghanistan with Iranian ports and provides access to shipping networks around the world. This increasingly makes Afghanistan a key player in regional logistics.
Taliban News on Energy Projects: TAPI Pipeline and CASA-1000
The TAPI Pipeline Project
The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline was originally agreed with the Taliban in 1998. It was revived in September 2024. Work resumed on the Afghan part of the pipeline.
- Specifications: 1,821km carrying 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year through the pipelines.
- Economic Impact: Up to $100 billion each year in revenue and thousands of jobs are anticipated.
- Geopolitical Importance: Signals Afghanistan’s return to a large regional energy project after decades.
CASA-1000 Electricity Transmission
The CASA-1000, a $1.2 billion project, will send 1,300 megawatts of clean hydroelectric power from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan via Afghanistan to Pakistan.
- Load Share: 300 megawatts for Afghanistan and 1,000 megawatts for Pakistan.
- World Bank Involvement: Since the Taliban government is not recognized, the World Bank has made financial arrangements. They guarantee that the funds do not fall under the control of the Taliban. While payments are being made, construction continues.
Taliban News: Untapped Mineral Wealth in Afghanistan
Trillions of Minerals Lying Underneath Afghan Soil
Afghanistan has large deposits of lithium. This is a critical part for electric vehicle batteries. The country also has copper, rare earth elements, and other minerals. These resources are essential to modern technology.
Mining Operations and Taliban’s Role
- Ino Copper Mine: China managed the mine for 15 years. Operations resumed in July 2024. The Taliban assured security and stability.
- Revenue Generation: The Taliban raised $1.54 billion in revenue this year, including from taxes on mining, and reconstruction.
- Reinvestment Loop: Mining income is invested in infrastructure projects that allow more mining and resulting economic growth.
Taliban News on Infrastructure Safety and Connectivity: Salang Tunnel
The Salang Tunnel: A Lifeline and an Accident Magnet
The 2.7 km Salang Tunnel is located at an elevation of 11,000ft in the Hindu Kush mountains. The Soviets built it. The tunnel links northern and southern Afghanistan. It is known for deadly accidents due to lack of ventilation, narrow exits and heavy traffic.
- Historical Horror: In 1982, up to 2,700 people were killed in a catastrophic disaster.
- Current Obstacles: The tunnel accommodates up to 9,000 vehicles a day. This is more than four times its design limit of 2,000. It retains the atmosphere and some of the traffic of an earlier age.
Conclusion on Taliban News: Afghanistan is Asia’s Future
The Taliban’s mega infrastructure projects are more than simply about building. They signify a strategic push to monopolize critical resources. These projects aim to promote regional integration. The Taliban also want to exploit Afghanistan’s geographical centrality. They seek to steer themselves out of the international margins.
The international attention to these realities is relatively modest. Nonetheless, the economic and geopolitical significance of these developments alter the landscape of Central and South Asia for generations. These projects will succeed or falter. They are rewriting the future of Afghanistan through water management, energy self-sufficiency, mineral wealth acquisition, and colossal urbanization.
Other countries in the region will watch as these changes take shape. Many nations around the world will do the same. Afghanistan is set to emerge as an important regional player. It will also become an economic partner.