The Empire of Poppy

"According to the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime, Afghanistan produced 93% of world poppy cultivation last year. The insurgency-hit country is the biggest world producer of opium. Most poppy crops are cultivated in five southern militancy-hit provinces where Taliban have been challenging the writ of the Afghan Government making a strong comeback after they were ousted by the US-led forces. Over 50% of the total production is just cultivated in Helmand province, the heartland of Taliban militancy stronghold where a major military offensive—Operation Khanjar, the largest since the ouster of Taliban in 2001—with 4000 US Marines and over 600 Afghan troops, is underway. If Taliban are completely cleared from Helmand province, half of Afghanistan’s opium production can be controlled. Besides the recent deployment of 4000 US Marines for the military operation, there has been 8000 British troops stationed in Helmand. Despite this, there are more than 50 drug processing labs in this province. There was an increased record of 160% in poppy production in Helmand last year. Before the massive military operation was launched in Helmand, Taliban insurgents controlled five of total 14 districts of this province during the last three years."
Kabul Prespective