Taliban call for lifting of sanctions after earthquake
STORY: "The Islamic Emirate is asking the world to give the Afghans the most basic right which is the right to life, and there is through lifting the sanctions, and unfreezing our assets, and also giving assistance after destroying lives for 20 years,” a spokesperson for the Afghan foreign ministry, Abdul Qahar Balkhi said.
The earthquake, which hit the east of the country early on Wednesday (June 22) killing 1,000, is a major test for the ruling Taliban, whose administration is not formally recognized by international governments.
About 2,000 people were injured and 10,000 homes were partially or entirely destroyed in the earthquake and five others were killed in an aftershock on Friday (June 24).
While humanitarian assistance continues to flow, aid needed for longer-term development in Afghanistan was halted when the Taliban took over Kabul last August as foreign forces withdrew.
Billions of dollars in Afghan reserves also remain frozen overseas as the West pushes for concessions on human rights, particularly for girls and women.
