Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of the Hezb-e Islami of Afghanistan, has reacted to the oil and gas agreement between the Taliban and the Saudi company Delta International. According to him, a government that, in his view, was imposed on the people of Afghanistan with “foreign money and weapons” has no authority to make decisions about the country’s natural resources, which he says belong to the people of Afghanistan.
According to media reports, Hekmatyar is concerned about the consequences of major agreements in the energy sector. He has warned that such agreements could once again turn Afghanistan into an arena for competition among regional powers and proxy wars. In his view, if energy resources are exploited without a political framework accepted by all sides, such competition could intensify.
The reaction came after the Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum signed an agreement with Delta International for the Kashk–Tirpal oil and gas field in Herat Province. According to information published by the Taliban’s Media and Information Center, the initial investment is $200 million and the contract is valid for 25 years. During this phase, Delta International will conduct exploration and extraction activities in seven gas blocks in the field.
Hekmatyar has expressed concern that Afghanistan could become a stage for regional competition.
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