Provincial officials inspecting an emerald during a weekly auction in Bazarak. — Photos: ©2025 The New York Times Company
IN a chilly auditorium in Afghanistan, piles of freshly mined emeralds gleamed under bright table lamps as bearded dealers inspected them for purity and quality.
An auctioneer called for bids on a 256-carat lot, marking the start of the Taliban’s weekly gemstone auction.
