- Title: Afghan people, traders worry about banks closure
- Date: 26th August 2021
- Summary: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (AUGUST 25, 2021) (PART MUTE) (REUTERS) (MUTE) EXTERIOR OF CENTRAL BANK OF AFGHANISTAN VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING OUTSIDE AN ATM (MUTE) SIGN READING (Dari and English) "AFGHANISTAN INTERNATIONAL BANK" (MUTE) MAN OPENING DOOR OF ATM BOOTH, OTHERS QUEUING PEOPLE QUEUING OUTSIDE ATM (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) KABUL TRADER, UMAR, SAYING: "Banks are closed. People's money is there in the banks. Traders are not bringing any new goods here. We demand the Islamic Emirate (of Afghanistan) to open banks as soon as possible." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING OUTSIDE BANK AND ATM (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) KABUL TRADER, REHAN, SAYING: "They should open banks as early as possible. All the work is done through them (banks). If this (closure) continues, the people will face problems." MONEY CHANGERS SITTING ON STREET (MUTE) VARIOUS OF CLOSE OF PEOPLE COUNTING NOTES FROM VARIOUS CURRENCIES (MUTE) NOTES FROM VARIOUS CURRENCIES TIED TOGETHER PERSON HOLDING AFGHANI NOTES MONEY CHANGERS SITTING ON THE STREET AS PEOPLE WALK BY PERSON HOLDING US DOLLAR NOTES
- Embargoed: 9th September 2021 03:35
- Keywords: Afghan Afghanistan banks money queues outside traders withdrawal
- Location: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
- City: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
- Country: Afghanistan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ERX04LJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Traders in the Afghan capital Kabul demanded on Wednesday (August 25) that shuttered banks should be opened as soon as possible.
People were seen queuing outside banks and ATMs, a day after Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that all banks will open soon.
Prices of staples like flour, oil, and rice have risen by as much as 10% - 20% since the Taliban seized control of the country. With banks still closed, many people have been unable to access their savings.
The Taliban have appointed an acting head of Afghanistan's central bank to help ease growing economic turmoil, more than a week after the Islamist movement seized the capital Kabul, a statement said on Monday (August 23).
Even before the Taliban swept into the city last Sunday (August 15), conditions had been getting worse, with the insurgents' rapid advance through the provincial cities sending the value of the local afghani currency plunging against the dollar and pushing prices of basic foods ever higher.
(Production: Waseem Sattar, Shahabuddin Shahab) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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