Kabul: A month after seizing Kabul, the Taliban face daunting problems as they seek to convert their lightning military victory into a durable peacetime government. After four decades of war and therefore the deaths of tens of thousands of individuals , security has largely improved, but Afghanistan`s economy is in ruins despite many billions of dollars in development spending over the past 20 years.
Drought and famine are driving thousands from the country to the cities, and therefore the World Food Programme fears food could run out by the top of the month, pushing up to 14 million people to the brink of starvation. While much attention within the West has focused on whether the new Taliban government will keep its promises to guard women`s rights or offer shelter to militant groups like al Qaeda, for several Afghans the most priority is straightforward survival.
very Afghan, kids, they’re hungry, they do not have one bag of flour or vegetable oil ,” said Kabul resident Abdullah. Long lines still form outside banks, where weekly withdrawal limits of $200 or 20,000 afghani are imposed to guard the country`s dwindling reserves.
Impromptu markets where people sell household goods for cash have sprung up across Kabul, although buyers are briefly supply.