Afghanistan (MNN) — Afghanistan stands on the edge of famine. The United Nations warns half of the country faces starvation, made worse by an imminent collapse of the banking system.
The prime minister appointed by the Taliban has asked international charities to help the country. He also called for the U.S. to release $10 billion in frozen Afghan funds. Government workers in Afghanistan haven’t received wages in months.
The prime minister used religious language to describe the crisis, calling the famine a “test from God, after people rebelled against him.”
The incompetence of the Taliban
The prime minister blamed the famine on the Western-backed government the Taliban deposed in August. But Nehemiah with FMI says Taliban insurgents never had a plan for how to run Afghanistan. “Maybe they are good suicide bombers, but they don’t know how to work as government officials. And this is the reason we have seen Taliban fighters that have become police just killing people like anything.”
Plus, the Taliban also has to deal with ISIS-K, another terrorist organization fighting for supremacy in Afghanistan.
In fact, many Taliban fighters have now deserted to ISIS-K. Nehemiah estimates over two thousand men are fighting with ISIS-K against the Taliban. “This is one reason people cannot leave their houses to get groceries. And the other reason is nothing is available in the grocery stores. This is evidence of how much the economy in Afghanistan is collapsing. Banks have no money to give out. People are literally starving to death.”
Some Afghan families have even sold their young children to avoid starvation. Read about one instance here. Nehemiah has heard many such sad stories from inside the country.
How to pray
FMI partners continue to provide food for Christians stuck inside their houses. Nehemiah says, “It’s a very fluid situation, and it is getting worse day by day. I just want to encourage my brothers and sisters to pray.”
God cares for the people of Afghanistan. Ask Him to end the famine and break the Taliban’s power.
The header photo shows the Taliban policing Afghan streets in 2001. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
