Afghans Preparing for Eid al-Adha Celebration amid U.S. Sanctions

"The Eid al-Adha is nearing but the prices are very high -- beyond the reach of ordinary people. If the United States were to release the 9.5 billion dollars of Afghanistan's assets they have frozen, prices definitely would go down," Shafiqullah, a dry fruit seller, told Xinhua.

Shafiqullah, 45, said that 1 kg of pistachios that was 800 afghanis (9 U.S. dollars) last year now cost around 1,000 afghanis. According to United Nations agency data, more than 22 million of the country's 35 million population were facing acute food shortages.

"The price of one packet of chocolate was 150 afghanis last year but this year its price increased to 250 afghanis," Shafiqullah said.

Blaming U.S. sanctions, the shopkeeper said, "If Washington releases Afghanistan's assets the prices of basic needs would drop by 30 percent."

U.S. President Joe Biden has signed the decree to allocate 3.5 billion dollars of Afghan assets to the families of the 9/11 victims, with a similar amount earmarked for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. The decision has been widely condemned by the international community as unjust.

"I came with 600 afghanis today to buy dry fruit for the festival but it's not enough to buy anything," said a Kabul resident Mumtaz.

Mumtaz also blames the United States for poverty in Afghanistan, saying, "I want Washington to unfreeze our money so as to improve our economy."

Like other Muslim countries, Eid al-Adha will be celebrated in Afghanistan with sacrifices of animals, and visiting relatives and friends.

"Blocking Afghanistan's assets has destroyed our economy and that is why the prices have gone up and we can't buy even dry fruit today for the holiday," businesswoman Freshta Safari lamented.

Xinhua

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