'40 US dollars for water' - Afghans speak of miserable conditions at Kabul airport
Record ID:
1633546
'40 US dollars for water' - Afghans speak of miserable conditions at Kabul airport
- Title: '40 US dollars for water' - Afghans speak of miserable conditions at Kabul airport
- Date: 24th August 2021
- Summary: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AUGUST 24, 2021) (REUTERS) PEOPLE CROWDING NEAR KABUL AIRPORT MAN CARRYING LUGGAGE ON WHEELBARROW PEOPLE HOLDING SMALL BAGS WALKING LARGE CROWD OF PEOPLE (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) MAN STANDING NEAR KABUL AIRPORT, ABDUL RAZZAQ, SAYING: "The situation at the airport is really bad. People are crowding and because of the rush of people, women and children are in miserable condition." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING NEAR AIRPORT / CHILDREN CARRYING BUCKET (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) MAN STANDING NEAR KABUL AIRPORT, FAZL-UR-REHMAN, SAYING: "At Kabul airport, one bottle of water is selling for 40 (U.S.) dollars and plate of rice for 100 (U.S.) dollars, and not Afghani (currency) but dollars. That is out of reach for common people." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HOLDING BELONGINGS, WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) MAN, AIZAZ ULLAH, SAYING: "I learned from an email sent from London that the Americans are taking people out of here. That is why I have come here so that I can go abroad." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WITH BAGS WALKING
- Embargoed: 7th September 2021 14:09
- Keywords: Afghanistan Kabul Taliban airport children fleeing food refugees water women
- Location: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
- City: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
- Country: Afghanistan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001ERN0R47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Afghans gathered near Kabul airport said on Tuesday (August 24) they faced miserable conditions as thousands wait to flee the country.
"People are crowding and because of the rush of people, women and children are in miserable condition," said Abdul Razzaq.
Another Afghan, Fazl-ur-Rehman, said food and water were selling at exorbitant prices.
"At Kabul airport, one bottle of water is selling for 40 (U.S.) dollars and plate of rice for 100 (U.S.) dollars, and not Afghani (currency) but dollars. That is out of reach for common people," he said.
Western troops at Kabul airport worked frantically on Tuesday to evacuate people from Afghanistan before an Aug. 31 deadline as U.S. President Joe Biden faced growing pressure to negotiate more time for the airlift of thousands trying to flee.
Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - were due to meet virtually on Tuesday to discuss the crisis.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to push for a deadline extension.
Chaos punctuated by sporadic violence has gripped the airport, with foreign troops and Afghan security guards driving back crowds clamouring to get on flights following the Taliban's takeover of the Afghan capital on Aug. 15. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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