KABUL, Nov 13: Millions of dollars were stolen from Afghanistan’s main money market as the Taliban pulled out of Kabul, dealing a heavy financial blow to one of the poorest capitals in the world, money changers said on Tuesday.
The thefts wiped out the life savings of many local residents, in a city already in economic ruin following more than 20 years of war and three years of drought.
“This was all our capital. Even the computers, carpets and tea pots have gone. This is a crime against Afghanistan, the Afghans and against Islam,” said Haji Amin Jan Khosti, chief of the Shara-i-Shazada money exchange.
Residents said they also saw armed men robbing the central bank and driving away in cars stuffed with money.
An AFP reporter also saw civilians looting the Pakistani embassy, taking electric fans, air conditioners and blankets.
Khosti said unknown thieves looted 80 shops in the money market, leaving none untouched and driving away with trucks full of the local Afghani currency, which is worth around $50,000.
A massive fortune, at least in Afghan terms, of around 1.5 million US dollars and 100 million Pakistani rupees, plus unknown amounts of various other currencies had also disappeared.
“In every shop at least five to 10 million Pakistan rupees has been taken,” said Khosti.
“They haven’t left anything. It is a terrorist act and whoever did it deserves the damnation of God Almighty.”
Another money changer, Najimuddin, said the market acted as a kind of “unofficial bank”.
“People did not trust the government banks because they are not safe. So if people had capital they brought it to us,” he said.
“I can’t tell you how much I lost because it is too painful to talk about.”
The Taliban, who had ruled Kabul since 1996, pulled out of the city overnight after opposition forces backed by US air power drove them from the northern provinces and smashed their front lines around the city.
Opposition security forces were the first into Kabul just after dawn on Tuesday. It was not known at what stage the money market was looted or who was responsible.
“We request Kabul citizens to maintain law and order,” said Younis Qanooni, a senior member of the opposition leadership who arrived in Kabul behind the police units.
“There were some unscrupulous people inside Kabul and they may have been trying to exploit the situation,” he said in reference to the looting, without accusing the Taliban.
“They do not belong to us and we will deploy our police forces everywhere.”
International aid groups have called for a massive cash injection from the donor community to help rebuild the city and create a new broad-based government to replace the Taliban.
Stephanie Bunker, spokeswoman for the UN coordinator’s office, said no decision had been taken about returning the world body’s foreign staff, who pulled out of the city following the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
“We’re looking for security and protection of the assistance community in general so that we can continue our humanitarian endeavours,” she told AFP in Pakistan.
“There was some looting and attempted looting at UN offices in the city. Some vehicles were taken but it is all on a relatively small scale.
“It is difficult to know who is responsible for these thefts, looting and attempted looting. People in neighbourhoods of the city are organizing themselves to protect themselves and their property.”
Most people on the streets of Kabul on Tuesday were overjoyed to see the opposition forces taking control and there were no reports of feared ethnic reprisals against ordinary civilians.—AFP