Taliban chief orders ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

KABUL: The Taliban’s supreme leader on Sunday ordered a ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, warning that the Islamist government would crack down on farmers planting the crop.

Afghanistan is the world’s biggest producer of poppies, the source of sap that is refined into heroin, and in recent years production and exports have only boomed.

“All Afghans are informed that from now on cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country,” said a decree issued by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The order was read out by spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid at a gathering of reporters, foreign diplomats and Taliban officials.“If anyone violates the decree the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to the sharia law,” it added.