From Reuters:
“Taliban ban use of foreign
currency in Afghanistan -spokesman”
The Taliban announced a complete
ban on the use of foreign currency in Afghanistan on Tuesday, a move sure to
cause further disruption to an economy pushed to the brink of collapse by the
abrupt withdrawal of international support. The surprise move came hours after
at least 25 people were killed and more than 50 wounded when gunmen attacked
Afghanistan's biggest military hospital after two heavy explosions at the site
in central Kabul. read more "The economic situation and national interests
in the country require that all Afghans use Afghan currency in their every
trade," the Taliban said in a statement shared with journalists by one of
their spokesmen.
The use of U.S. dollars is widespread
in Afghanistan's markets, while border areas use the currency of neighbouring
countries such as Pakistan for trade. The Taliban government is pressing for
the release of billions of dollars of central bank reserves as the
drought-stricken nation faces a cash crunch, mass starvation and a new
migration crisis. Afghanistan parked billions of dollars in assets overseas
with the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks in Europe, but that money
has been frozen since the Islamist Taliban ousted the Western-backed government
in August. The departure of U.S.-led forces and many international donors left
the country without grants that financed three quarters of public spending. The
finance ministry said it had a daily tax take of roughly 400 million Afghanis
($4.4 million). Although Western powers want to avert a humanitarian disaster
in Afghanistan, they have refused to officially recognise the Taliban
government.
^ This seems like a desperate
move from a desperate group. I don't think it will do much of anything to help. ^
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