Afghanistan: Poverty forces man to set himself on fire in front of 4-yr-old son in Kabul
Man set himself on fire in Dehmazang Square in Afghanistan's Kabul on Monday with reports stating that he had been facing financial challenges amid Taliban rule
- World News
- 2 min read
Underscoring the grim socio-economic situation in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, a man set himself on fire in Dehmazang Square in Kabul on Monday with reports stating that he had been facing financial challenges. Eyewitnesses and sources have said that the man took the dramatic step when he lost hope of finding food for his children. Sources have also claimed that the man set himself on fire in front of his four-year-old son.
The situation in Afghanistan has further worsened since the civilian government fell in August 2021 and the Taliban reconquered the nation. According to the United Nations (UN) 23 million people in Afghanistan are presently facing acute food shortage and 95% of Afghans do not even have enough food to eat three meals in a day. Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan engulfed the nation in political crisis, uncertainty in business and unemployment.
Citing the latest survey conducted by the World Bank, Khaama Press stated that the private sectors in Afghanistan were “hit hard” as the businesses were halted and put into uncertainty. Due to the shortage of sales, the private companies had to lay off over 50% of their employees on an average which further triggered concerns about the unemployment rate in the war-torn country.
Protesters tore down Taliban posters
Just earlier this month, citizens of Bamyan in Afghanistan tore down Taliban posters put up around the city. People, especially women were seen taking off banners in the videos that emerged from the incident. The discontentment among the Afghan nationals has continued to increase but in Bamyan, they tore down Taliban posters after Afghanistan’s interim government urged people to support the militant regime and call on the United States to release frozen assets of Afghanistan.
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Just days after women in Afghanistan were denied education rights beyond the primary level and were even barred from acquiring jobs, an angry mob gathered at Bamyan sports stadium on April 2 to disrupt the ruling regime's meeting and even ripped the banners in the area.