The Taliban announced Tuesday that it would ban the use of foreign currency in Afghanistan. "The economic situation and national interests in the country require that all Afghans use Afghan currency in their every trade," the Taliban said in a statement, per Reuters. ADVERTISEMENTGrants from international donors once funded roughly 75 percent of public spending in Afghanistan, the news service added, but following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces and other foreign interests this summer that money has dried up. Those assets have been frozen since the Taliban took over Kabul in August; with the nation facing financial strain amid drought, starvation and migration-related troubles, the Taliban is working to gain access to the money. The unexpected announcement about using strictly Afghan currency came just hours after another crisis: a shooting at Afghanistan's largest military hospital that left 25 people dead and 50 injured.

Source: Fox News November 02, 2021 19:54 UTC