Russia financing the Taliban in Afghanistan

Times:

Russia has stepped up its support of the Taliban in Afghanistan in recent months in an effort to stave off the rise of Islamic State but also to avenge its humiliating defeat by western-backed fighters nearly 30 years ago, according to Taliban officials.

One, a 23-year-old treasurer who is typical of a new youthful echelon of officials, explained how help from Moscow delivered cash into the hands of its commanders.

“The Russian fuel supplies began coming to us 18 months ago,” he told The Times. “At first it was just a few tankers to test the system. But then the numbers suddenly increased so that dozens were coming each month. The Russians give it all to us for free — we just pay the import duty and then keep the profits.”

Most of the fuel is sold on by Taliban front companies to businessmen in Kabul. The money is then transferred through the inscrutable “hawala” system used by terrorist groups and insurgents across the Islamic world.

“I just deal with the finances of a few Taliban commanders in one sector in one province,” the treasurer said. “I transfer them the money and then account for its distribution. But there are many other people like me.”

The fuel scheme was worth an estimated $2.5 million a month to the Taliban and was “one of many” methods of Russian funding to the group, he added. He agreed to be interviewed on the authority of a senior adviser to the Quetta Shura, the Taliban leadership based in Pakistan. The senior adviser was himself a former specialist bombmaker from Sangin who was involved in numerous operations against coalition and Afghan units before accepting a political role within the group.
...

There is much more.

The US needs to start attacking these fuel delivers as a means of defunding the Taliban.  I suspect that Iran is also supporting the Taliban as are certain groups in Pakistan.  All these sources of support need to be dealt with.