Chaos reigning in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan

A new report to the U.N. Security Council shows a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, but Western countries are reluctant to do much about it. According to the report, after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops in August 2021 from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s subsequent return to power, the insurgent group turned governing body is struggling to feed Afghanis or keep them safe.

When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, the economic collapse was almost immediate. Long lines of people waiting for monthly food distributions are now common even in the once-prosperous, middle-class areas of Kabul, the Afghan capital city.

The food supplies in Afghanistan are running out and starvation is a real possibility for millions. 20 million Afghan citizens rely on monthly rations of a 110-pound sack of flour, some cooking oil, beans and salt.

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine sending food prices soaring, many of the aid programs are facing cutbacks.

Western nations like the U.S., France and Germany don’t want to send help to Afghanistan because they don’t want to be seen as engaging with a regime that took power by force and is oppressive towards women.

The Taliban is also fighting militant groups like the Islamic State and even one extremist group made up of former Afghan government security personnel.

The experts said in the report to the U.N. with the onset of better weather, fighting may escalate as both Islamic State and resistance forces undertake operations against Taliban forces.

To consolidate control in the country, the Taliban is keeping close ties with al-Qaida, the jihadist group behind the 9/11 terror attacks. The U.N. report said al-Qaida in Afghanistan has “increased freedom of action” under Taliban rule. The report indicated both the Islamic State and al-Qaida could be capable of launching an international attack as early as next year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.