INTEL 722

The practice of bacha bazi in Afghanistan has been the subject of numerous reports and investigations by international organizations, human rights groups, and U.S. government agencies, including Homeland Security. The exact number of reports filed with U.S. agencies like Homeland Security specifically may not be publicly available, but efforts to combat bacha bazi have been well-documented by various governmental and non-governmental organizations.

1. United Nations: The UN has highlighted bacha bazi as a human rights violation, with the practice being a focus of various reports on child exploitation in conflict zones. Afghan police and military forces have been implicated in participating or turning a blind eye to these abuses, despite international condemnation.
2. U.S. Government Reports: Reports such as those from the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report regularly document child trafficking and sexual exploitation in Afghanistan, including bacha bazi. These reports influence U.S. foreign policy and aid decisions.
3. SIGAR: The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has raised concerns about the Afghan National Security Forces’ involvement in bacha bazi, which directly affects U.S. funding and security collaborations. The issue has been flagged as a major problem that undermines efforts to build stable governance in Afghanistan.
4. 2015 New York Times Investigation: A major turning point came after a New York Times exposé in 2015, which reported that U.S. soldiers were told not to intervene when Afghan allies engaged in bacha bazi. This created a public outcry, and investigations were initiated into how the U.S. military handled this issue.

Heroin Trade and Bacha Bazi Connection

While there is no direct, widely documented link between bacha bazi and the heroin trade, both practices are symptoms of systemic corruption and power abuses in Afghanistan. The heroin trade, fueled by Afghanistan’s vast poppy fields, is a major source of income for warlords and militias, some of whom also engage in bacha bazi.

The heroin trade is closely monitored by the U.S. and international law enforcement agencies, including efforts involving China, particularly in combating drug trafficking networks that extend through Asia, such as those linked to Shanghai.