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Taliban looted billions from Kabul exchange market

Dhananjay Mahapatra in Kabul

Taliban soldiers looted around $5 million, Pak Rs 50 million and billions of Afghanis from the biggest money exchange market in Afghanistan a day before they abandoned Kabul.

"Two days before the Northern Alliance entered the capital, the Taliban soldiers came to the Serai Sehjada market in Kabul and looted the place," Fakir Ahmed, a shopkeeper who lost around Pak Rs 450,000 and $50,000, said.

There are around 500 shops in the Serai Sehjada market near the famous Pul-e-Khisti mosque in the heart of the city.

"The people who came and looted the place were Pakistanis," Mohammed Farooq, whose shop is next to Fakir's, said. "Pakistan is still interfering in our internal affairs," he said.

Defence ministry sources said the Taliban soldiers knew that Kabul's fall was imminent and they looted whatever they could in the available time.

"It was a huge amount of money. They may use the dollars and Pakistani rupees for buying weapons and distribute the Afghanis among the locals to buy their support," the sources said.

Another concern for the defence and military security department is that none of the Taliban top leadership has been captured so far. They are also worried that the militia could have mixed with the locals in the countryside.

PTI

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