Ancient Buddhist city in Afghanistan threatened by plans for Chinese copper mine

South China Morning Post published this video item, entitled “Ancient Buddhist city in Afghanistan threatened by plans for Chinese copper mine” – below is their description.

The ancient Buddhist city of Mes Aynak, near the Afghan capital Kabul, is at risk of disappearing after the discovery of what’s believed to be one of the world’s largest copper deposits near the city. The Taliban has partnered with the Chinese mining giant Metallurgical Group Corporation, to start mining copper from the site that’s expected to generate US$300 million a year for the cash-strapped regime. The country has been on the brink of economic collapse since international aid and foreign-held Afghan government reserves were frozen when the Taliban seized control in August 2021. But fears are growing that the place once considered one of the most prosperous trade hubs along the Silk Road could completely vanish if the copper mine project goes ahead.

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Fate of ancient Afghan Buddhist city in hands of Taliban, Chinese miner https://sc.mp/tggs

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About This Source - South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post (SCMP), with its Sunday edition, the Sunday Morning Post, is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper founded in 1903. It is Hong Kong’s newspaper of record, owned by Alibaba Group.

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In This Story: Afghanistan

Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south; Iran to the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north; and China to the northeast.

Occupying 652,000 square kilometers (252,000 sq mi), it is a mountainous country with plains in the north and southwest. Kabul is the capital and largest city. The population is around 32 million, composed mostly of ethnic Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks.

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In This Story: Taliban

The Taliban or Taleban, who refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamist movement and military organization in Afghanistan, currently waging war within the country. Since 2016, the Taliban’s leader has been Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada.

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