The infamous bridge Pul-e Sukhta in the western part of the Afghan capital Kabul continues to be a symbol of a humanitarian catastrophe.
Despite the Taliban's extensive and often violent crackdown, the area remains a hotbed for drug addicts, according to reports by investigative journalists.
The Illusion of Cleansing and the Harsh Reality
After returning to power, the government has declared a de facto war on opium. According to a media investigation, BBC, the Taliban capture hundreds of men under the bridge and forcibly transport them to rehabilitation centers.
However, the conditions in these camps have been described as spartan and harsh. Addicts undergo 45-day detox without adequate medical care. Reports from the human rights organization Zan Times confirms that the lack of long-term therapy is leading to a mass return of patients back under the bridge immediately after their release.
„We return here because we have no other life“: Voices from the bottom
Local doctors trying to help in a field with limited resources describe the situation as critical. „These people are not criminals, they are sick. "Without psychological support and economic integration, detox is just temporary torture," Dr. Ahmad, an Afghan psychiatrist who treats addictions in Kabul, told aid workers.
The residents of Pul-e-Sukhta themselves tell of the vicious cycle of survival. "They beat us, they imprison us, but when they let us go, we have no homes, no jobs, our families are ashamed of us. We come back here, under the bridge, because we have no other life," said Tariq, 28, who has been addicted for five years and has already been through the regime's camps three times.
The new threat: The rise of synthetic drugs
The problem is being exacerbated by the changing drug market in the region. The latest official report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), published by ReliefWeb, warns of a dangerous trend: while the production of traditional heroin is declining due to prohibitions, the use of synthetic drugs, most notably methamphetamine (known as "crystal meth"), is on a shocking rise. These substances are cheaper to produce, extremely aggressive to the psyche and are quickly turning Pul-e-Sukhta into a hotbed of a new wave of addiction.
International response and the role of the UN
The international community and UN agencies find themselves in a difficult diplomatic and humanitarian dilemma. On the one hand, they strongly condemn the Taliban's methods, which violate basic human rights. On the other hand, the suspension of foreign aid after 2021 has deprived the country of a functioning health system. The World Health Organization, quoted on its official portal WHO EMRO, continues to support a limited number of addiction treatment centers and mobile teams. The UN has been pushing for funding for programs based on evidence-based medical practices, but the regime’s refusal to cooperate with international standards has blocked large-scale aid.
Life under Pul-e-Sukhta remains a vicious cycle of poverty, stigma, and lack of alternatives, making the facility a monument to an unresolved human tragedy in the heart of Kabul.