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Afghans comb riverbed in search of gold dust

In the jagged Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of men are digging into the rocky bed of the Kunar River searching for gold dust as an alternative income source.
Fifty-Year-Old Shahzahdah Gollalah abandoned construction work in Kabul to prospect for gold, stating, "There are not many job opportunities in the country, and in this way, we have created work for ourselves."
Prospector Gul Ahmad Jan noted that individuals can earn up to $125 a week, reporting, "We can get up to about one gram of gold."
Local residents requested that the Islamic Emirate stop machine-based excavation, telling official Hanafi that such activity "destroys the river and the mountains."
Taliban authorities are promoting mining across various regions, while Najibullah Hanif, the Kunar information chief, noted that thousands of residents are currently panning for gold using traditional methods.

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Radio France Internationale

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Afghans comb riverbed in search of gold dust

2 days ago·Paris, France

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ATN

Afghans turn to riverbed gold hunting amid scarce jobs

Hundreds of men in eastern Afghanistan are scouring riverbeds for tiny flecks of gold as they seek alternative sources of income in a country with limited employment opportunities, according to recent reports. In Kunar province, along the rugged slopes of the Hindu Kush near Pakistan, groups of workers dig into the rocky bed of the Kunar River, sifting through stones and sediment in search of gold dust. The labour-intensive process involves exc…

24 hours ago·Kabul, Afghanistan

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