First Published Jun 17, 2022, 5:07 PM IST
W.The Taliban’s second rule this month has left Afghanistan with nothing but misery. The capture of Kabul by the Taliban in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US troops promised more independence and good governance, unlike the previous Taliban regime. But within months of taking power, the Taliban militant group seized power. With this, the Sunni Pashtun extremists came to power. The Taliban, which later banned women’s freedom and education, often reported abductions of women from their homes for their soldiers, according to international media reports. Every day, every Afghan calls out that they are struggling to survive.
When he returned to power in August, the Taliban did not live up to their promise. Especially when it comes to women’s emancipation. With this, the Western countries withdrew from recognizing the Taliban as the regime of Afghanistan.
At the same time, after the Taliban came to power, large amounts of foreign aid to Afghanistan’s development aid were cut off. At the same time, Western countries have decided to freeze the country’s central bank reserves.
With this, the Afghan economy, which had collapsed by default, literally collapsed. The value of the Afghan currency, the Afghan afghani, has plummeted. The fall in the value of money has led to inflation.
Government institutions have not paid salaries for months. Bribery is common in government offices. People’s incomes fell by a third. But food prices have more than doubled.
Every Afghan said that it was extremely difficult to get through every day. Shafi Mohammed, who has been selling bread at the Pul-e-Kheshti market in Kabul for 30 years, said.
Even in Kabul, life is being pushed aside by eating the bad bread that people used to give to the goat. Various countries have extended food aid to Afghanistan following persistent reports of winter famine.
But reports from People say that’s just not the case. Outside bakeries across Kabul, queuing for free evening snacks served by groups of women and girls has become a common sight in the Afghan capital today.
Meanwhile, former Afghan warlords gather in Ankara under the leadership of former Afghan Vice President and Warlord Abdul Rashid Dostam. About 40 warlords, including women, were reported to have attended the meeting.
According to reports, many of the conspirators were U.S. spokesmen who ruled several provinces during the US occupation. One of their demands is to be ready for talks with them and to allow themselves to be involved in governance. They also warn the Taliban to prepare for war if they do not.
Meanwhile, the Taliban are reported to have reopened the battlefield in Panchsheer, which was the worst hit by the second incursion. Ahmed Masood, the leader of the National Resistance Front, was the first to open a battlefield in Panchsheer. However, the Taliban ended the resistance with Pakistani support. It is reported that this is active again.