Local officials said that a campaign to destroy poppy fields has started in Herat that will be conducted in each village in the province by Islamic Emirate forces.

The campaign begins at a time when poppy fields’ harvest season is approaching.

“Our operation is underway and hundreds of acres of land have been cleared of poppy in different districts,” said Hayatullah Rouhani, head of the counter narcotics department of Herat.

Special Forces accompany the employees of the counter-narcotics office to ensure the security of the campaign to destroy poppy fields, officials said.

“We will accompany the employees of the counter-narcotics department in Herat province,” said Mohammad Asif Mohammadi, head of the special force of the counter-narcotics office.

Meanwhile, farmers called on the government to help them by providing alternative crops for poppy cultivation.

“We asked the government to help us with alternative crops for poppy,” said Ghulam Mohammad, a farmer.

Besides Herat, the campaign is being conducted in Ghor, Badghis, Nimroz and Farah provinces. It is expected that poppy fields in the west of the country will be destroyed ahead of the harvest season.