In an open letter to the US Congress, the Taliban, who rule Afghanistan, call on the US to respond to the humanitarian and economic crisis unfolding in Afghanistan.
The letter is signed by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mutaki and calls on Washington to release the assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan.
“At the moment, the fundamental challenge facing our people is financial security, and at the root of these concerns is the freezing of our people’s assets by the US government,” the letter said.
The Taliban are worried that if the current situation continues, it will lead to mass migration and damage the country’s health and education sectors, the letter said.
“When a child suffers from malnutrition, when a mother dies from lack of health services, when the ordinary Afghan is deprived of food, shelter, medicine and other basic necessities, this can not be politically or logically justified and damages the prestige of the government. and the people of the United States of America because it is a purely humanitarian issue. “
When the Taliban seized power in the country in August, most aid to Afghanistan was suspended. About $ 9 billion of the country’s central bank reserve, most of which was “stationed” in the United States, has been frozen.
The Kabul government previously received $ 8.5 billion a year in military and civilian assistance, according to a report by the Kabul Afghanistan Analysts Network. It was used to finance 75% of public spending.
Millions of people have lost their main source of income while the education and health sectors, as well as other public services, are no longer fully operational.
The United Nations has warned that by mid-2022, 97% of Afghans could be plunged into poverty.
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