contracts for managing Afghanistan’s airports with an Emirati company linked to Jeffrey Epstein’s associate; a company regionally connected to the business network of Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, whose name recently appeared in newly released documents related to Epstein’s case.
According to these sources, some Taliban officials have opposed the extension of this contract, warning that continued cooperation with a company tied to Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem’s network could carry political costs internally and among the “mujahideen.”
In contrast, another group of Taliban officials is reportedly pushing strongly to renew the contract with the Emirati company. Sources say the disagreement has escalated to the point of triggering changes in the leadership of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.
Sources in Kabul indicate that the former minister had refused to extend the contract with the Emirati company and called for a re-evaluation of the terms of cooperation. However, due to pressure from certain internal circles, he was removed from his post, and another official was appointed in his place.
Sources say that the appointment of Mullah Fazl Mazloom as the new head of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation is likely part of efforts to advance the contract renewal process.
The Emirati company began cooperating with the current administration after the fall of the previous Afghan government in 2021 to manage parts of the technical and operational services at several major airports in the country, including Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif.
At the time, the stated objective of this cooperation was to rebuild Afghanistan’s civil aviation system and facilitate the resumption of international flights. However, with some of these contracts now expired, the debate over their renewal has become a sensitive issue within the Taliban.
Regionally, a network of Emirati logistics and infrastructure companies active in port and transit projects is often linked to Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who has long been one of the most powerful economic figures in the Middle East.
His name resurfaced in 2026 after newly released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein highlighted personal correspondence and communications between him and Epstein, although U.S. officials have stated that these documents do not directly implicate him in Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes.
Nevertheless, the publication of these documents generated widespread media and economic pressure, ultimately leading bin Sulayem to step down from the leadership of one of the world’s largest logistics companies.
Now in Kabul, amid ongoing negotiations over the future of airport management contracts, sources say internal disagreements persist, and it remains unclear what decision the Taliban leadership will ultimately make regarding the renewal of the Emirati company’s contracts.
