KABUL, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Afghan authorities have arrested nine individuals accused of illegally felling trees and contributing to deforestation in the western Badghis province, the country's Ministry of Interior Affairs said on Sunday.
The suspects were apprehended while engaging in unauthorized logging activities on the outskirts of Tagab and Muqar districts, according to a ministry statement.
Afghanistan has long grappled with severe deforestation, exacerbated by decades of conflict, poverty, and illegal timber trade.
The Afghan government has imposed a nationwide ban on deforestation and the hunting of wild animals as part of broader initiatives to safeguard the environment and promote sustainable resource management. ■