The Daily An Economic Catastrophe in Afghanistan
Dec 15, 2021
Christina Goldbaum, a New York Times correspondent in Kabul, shares haunting insights into Afghanistan's economic disaster. She recounts heartbreaking stories of families selling possessions to survive as banks run dry. The crisis is worsened by balloons of malnutrition among children, with parents desperately seeking help in hospitals. Goldbaum discusses how U.S. withdrawal and sanctions have led to a catastrophic financial collapse. The urgency for humanitarian aid is palpable, as millions face food insecurity amid the harsh winter ahead.
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Cash Shortages at Banks
- Christina Goldbaum witnessed men desperately trying to withdraw money from a Mazar-e Sharif bank.
- Many had traveled for hours and waited since dawn, only to be told the bank had run out of cash.
Makeshift Markets and Desperation
- In Kabul, people are selling household items in makeshift flea markets to get cash for essentials.
- One former professor sold his academic books, highlighting the desperation of the situation.
Malnutrition Crisis in Kandahar
- In Kandahar, mothers and grandmothers brought malnourished children to a clinic.
- Many children were too weak to cry, highlighting the severity of the food crisis.