Published on, Aug. 17 -- August 17, 2025 3:00 PM

As Afghanistan faces a growing water crisis, the Taliban-led government is pushing ahead with old and new infrastructure projects to control the country's precious water resources. Over decades of war, Afghanistan had little control over its five major river basins, most of which flow into neighboring countries. Now, the government is asserting water sovereignty, despite the diplomatic risks involved.

One major project drawing attention is the Qosh Tepa canal, which aims to divert a significant portion of the Amu Darya river to irrigate large areas of northern Afghanistan. However, countries like Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan are voicing concerns. They fear the canal could redu...