The Taliban militants group earn around $4.8 million annually from Kajaki dam located in the restive southern Helmand province of Afghanistan.

The provincial council officials have said the group earns almost 90 per cent of the income of the dam on yearly basis.

Majid Akhunda, deputy provincial council chief, told RFE/RL that the group has formed a special unit to collect the income generated from the dam.

He said the 90 per cent income of the dam is almost equal to 500 million Pakistani Rupees which is equivalent to $4.77 million.

The Taliban militants group has not commented regarding the report so far.

This comes as reports emerged in mid-2016 suggesting that the group has formed a special military unit, Red Group, in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan to face the increasingly professional Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).

Reports regarding the establishment of the Red Group came amid concerns that the group is attempting to control of the key districts and cities of the province in a bid to shift part of its leadership council to Afghanistan.

The group also launched numerous attacks, including some major coordinated offensives, to seize control of the province but the Afghan officials said all the attacks were repulsed, although some senior security officials lately said the group has managed to shift some of its leaders to Helmand together with their families.