Taliban “Price List”

Back in 2012, right after arriving to Kabul, I was made aware that I should be permanently cautious, wherever I was, because my head was worth 20.000 US Dollars (USD). That was how much the Taliban shadow Government would pay anyone that would kill a foreigner officer.

That specify price made me wonder if there was a list of targets and rewards; a “Taliban price list” … and there was. In fact, it was published in a Taliban social network site permitting anyone interested to have access to it. In their propaganda, the Taliban distorted the Afghan Mujaheddin concept, and turned it in some sort of an invincible religious “Jedi”; a “Mu-Jedi-in”; attracting all sort of unemployed/uneducated and starving youth to their cause. Being a martyr for the cause was their ultimate glory.

Death in combat was not something they feared, but rather wished.

But there was a material aspect to take into consideration. The salary of a Taliban mujaheddin fighter was about 10 USD per day. Furthermore, the fighter could increase significantly his payment according to a “list of interesting targets” (and if the fighter would die on the process, his family would receive the price).  

According to a Taliban website, the price list was:

                200 USD – Attack and destroy a bridge;

                200 a 400 USD – Assassination of a teacher/professor;

                900 USD – for attacking a school and avoiding continuation of lecturing;

                1 000 USD – For each ISAF low ranking soldier killed;

                6 000 USD – For the destruction in combat of an ISAF vehicle;

                10 000 USD – For the bombardment (rockets) of a City;

                10 000 USD – For the complete destruction of a school;

and … 20 000 – For the capture and beheading of a foreigner military Officer.

In a countryside with long traditions of war-fighting and manhood culture, where most males had a weapon of their won, receiving such high payments represented the assurance of well being for an entire family. That was something worth thinking about, regardless their sympathy towards the international presence in their lands.