It has been nearly two years since the US made a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. However, there are many reports claiming that the “peacetime blues” have even extended to the Taliban.
Taliban fighter becomes disillusioned with the regime because he now has a 9-5 e-mail job and traffic sucks lmao pic.twitter.com/JGq9ln02PW
— Armand Domalewski (@ArmandDoma) February 4, 2023
These sentiments are not unique to this individual. Many reports have surfaced saying members of the Taliban are fed up with desk jobs, traffic, crime and high rent. Especially during the recent economic difficulties in Afghanistan.
A man named Huzaifa, claiming to be a former sniper, said life was far more simple during jihad, stating, “All we had to deal with was making plans for ta’aruz [attacks] against the enemy and for retreating.”
Adding, “People didn’t expect much from us, and we had little responsibility towards them, whereas now if someone is hungry, he deems us directly responsible for that…the Taliban used to be free of restrictions, but now we sit in one place, behind a desk and a computer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Life’s become so wearisome; you do the same things every day. Being away from the family has only doubled the problem.”
Others have complained the new lifestyle feels like they have “caged” themselves. Stating if they complain, their salary is cut, and money is like a “shackle.”
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“In our ministry, there’s little work for me to do. Therefore, I spend most of my time on Twitter. We’re connected to speedy Wi-Fi. Many mujahedin, including me, are addicted to the internet, especially Twitter,” says 25-year-old Abdul Nafi.
Nafi also said, “What I dislike about Kabul is its traffic and what I fear is its thieves…. I keep my pistol on my person all the time after two of our comrades were robbed.”
Taliban and the brutal winter economy
Afghanistan is currently experiencing one of the coldest winters in recent history. This season has seen more than 160 people die of hypothermia, as well as over 200,000 goats, sheep, and other various livestock. The World Food Program reports that 20 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute food shortages. Furthermore, 6 million of those are facing “emergency-level food insecurity.”
To make matters worse, the prices of basic necessity items, like food and fuel, have increased by a high percentage. These price raises also affected items like firewood and coal, leaving many families huddled in one room at night for warmth.
To make matters worse, many women who were working to help through aid programs, have been banned from participating by the Taliban. Foreign aid is still trickling in, but the prospects are still bleak for the fatigued country.
