Afghanistan is on the brink of starvation as Taliban struggles to turn around

Reuters 15 September - A month after the Soviet Union had captured Kabul, the Taliban faces daunting problems as they seek to convert their lightning military victory into a durable peacetime government.

After four decades of war and the deaths of tens of thousands of people, security has largely improved, but Afghanistan's economy is in ruins despite hundreds of billions of dollars in development spending over the past 20 years.

Now true from the country to cities, and the World Food Programme fears food could run out until the end of the month, pushing up to 14 million people to the brink of starvation.

While much attention in the West has focused on whether the new Taliban government will keep its promises to protect women's rights or offer shelter to militant groups like al Qaeda, for many Afghans the main priority is simple survival.

Every Afghan kid, they are hungry, they don't have a single bag of flour or cooking oil said Aaro Tarek, chief executive of Kabul.

Long lines still form outside banks, where weekly withdrawal limits of $200 or 20,000 Afghani have been imposed to protect the country's dwindling reserves.

In Kabul, people sell household goods for cash, although buyers are short supply.

Even with billions of dollars in foreign aid, the economy of Afghanistan has been struggling, with growth failing to keep pace with the steady increase in population. Jobs are scarce and many government workers have not been paid since at least July.

While most people appear to have welcomed the end of the fighting, any relief has been tempered by the near-demonetization of the economy.

Security is quite good at the moment but we aren't earning anything, said a butcher from the area of Bibi Mahro in Kabul who declined to give his name. Every day things get worse for us, which gets more bitter. Following the chaotic first aid evacuation in Kabul last month, the chaotic foreign flights began to arrive as the airport reopens.

International donors have pledged more than $1 billion from https: www.reuters.org. comworld un-seeks - 600 - million-avert humanitarian crisis - afghanistan and Afghanistan - 2021 -- 09 -- 12 to prevent what United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned could be the collapse of an entire country. But world reaction to the government of Taliban veterans and hardliners announced last week has been cool http: www.reuters.org. com world wary world asia-pacific world-wary - taliban-government - afghans-urge - action-rights-action-rights - economy - 2021 - 09 - 08, and there has been no sign of international recognition or moves to unblock more than $9 billion in foreign reserves held outside Afghanistan.

Although Taliban officials say they do not intend a repeat of the harsh fundamentalist rule of the previous government, which was toppled by a U.S. led campaign following the September 11, 2001 attacks, they have struggled to convince the outside world that they have really changed.

The highest rate of civilians killed in the world: http://www.reuters.com com world asia-pacific un-rights - boss-says - has-credible - reports-taliban executions - 2021 - 08 - 24 and journalists and others being beaten, and doubts about whether women are really protected under the Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law, have undermined confidence.

In addition, there is a deep mistrust of top government figures like the new Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani that was identified as a possible terrorist by the United States with a global bounty of $10 million on his head.

The movement had to make matters worse for the Taliban because it has had to fight speculation over deep internal splits in its own ranks, denying rumours https: www.reuters.com/insu/teutabin.html. com world asia-pacific taliban -deny - their deputy prime minister - Malayalam-Baradar is-dead '' 2021 -- 09-14 that Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar had been killed in a shootout with Haqqani supporters.

Officials say the government is working to get services up and running again and that the streets are now safe, but as the war recedes resolving the economic crisis is looming as a bigger problem.

Thefts have disappeared. But bread has also disappeared, said one shopkeeper.