Kabul faces winter blackout as Taliban unable to pay electricity suppliers: Report

According to reports, Kabul is reportedly facing a winter blackout due upaid dues to the Central Asian electricity suppliers even as the Taliban considates its hold over Afghanistan.

Afghanistan reportedly imports most of its electricity from its neighbours namely Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. According to the Wall Street Journal, this year domestic production has been hit due to drought conditions in the country.

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The WSJ in its report said the chief of Afghanistan's power authority has warned that the situation could turn out to be a humanitarian disaster.

The World Bank had suspended aid to Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power in August with the International Monetary Fund(IMF) also clamping down on funds.

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The country is already facing a crisis as the UN warned children under the age of five need treatment against life-threatening diseases and malnutrition.

The US had allowed exemptions to sanctions allowing crucial aid to the country last month allowing aid groups and international organizations to engage in order to meet the basic needs of Afghans.

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The country has already been hit by fuel crisis and mounting food prices. Thousands of Afghans had lined up outside ATMs in an attempt to get cash after the Taliban took control in August as cash was in short supply even as the Taliban has struggled to pay government employees.

The US has reportedly blocked $9 billion in Afghan reserves held overseas resulting in a cash crush in the country even as the new  Taliban government looks to restart services in the country.

(With inputs from Agencies)