NEWS

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The U.S.-led offensive that's expected to start soon in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province will be a battle not only against the Taliban but also against an insurgent-backed narcotics trade that provides a livelihood for thousands of residents. Helmand produces more than half the world's opium, and Marjah, the town targeted in the operation, is its thriving drug capital. Marjah illustrates the link between the Islamist insurgency and the narcotics trade: According to residents, the Taliban promote and tax the opium business and...

 

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