Isis makes big money from exporting "baby powder"

A report by a human rights organization said that the organization has benefited financially from the export of raw materials from Afghanistan used in the manufacture of paint, and child care powder to countries such as the United States via Pakistan.

According to the Global Witness Human Rights Organization in a report that the fighters of the organization calling in Afghanistan collect hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from the illegal mining of talc, which ends up mostly in the United States and Europe.

About 500,000 tons of talc, used in products ranging from paint to baby care powder, have been exported from Afghanistan from the beginning of the year to March, according to figures from the Afghan Mining Ministry, reported by the report.

The report said that almost all of this went to Pakistan, where most of them were exported again.

The report said that Pakistan provides more than a third of US imports of talc, and that large quantities of that material also reach the European Union.

"US and European consumers are unwittingly helping finance extremist groups in Afghanistan," said Nick Donovan, campaign manager for Global Witness, calling for more import controls.

While it is difficult to estimate the value of that trade for Daish, the mining income in Nangarhar may range from "tens to thousands of dollars a year," the report said.

He added that hundreds of thousands of dollars is an average and reasonable estimate of revenue.

The report says the amount does not seem too big, but the US military estimates that the state force is advocating in Nangarhar between 750 and 2,000 fighters, which means that these funds are an important source of revenue for the organization.