Afghanistan’s central bank said on Wednesday that the Taliban had seized more than $12 million in cash and gold from the homes of former Government officials, as it called for all transactions to be made in local currency.
A foreign exchange crunch in the aid-dependent country threatens the Taliban’s rule one month after they seized power. Most government employees have yet to return to work — and in many cases salaries had already not been paid for months — leaving millions scrambling to make ends meet. Even those with money in the bank are struggling, as branches limit withdrawals to the equivalent of $200 a week — with customers having to queue for hours.
And while remittances have resumed from abroad, customers awaiting funds at international chains such as Western Union and MoneyGram complained on Wednesday that branches they visited had run out of cash.
