Taliban Implements Austerity Measures Amid Economic Crisis; Afghan Refugees Face Deepening Crisis; Polio Vaccinator Killed in Paktia
The Taliban has significantly reduced monthly subsistence allowances for staff at military universities, including the National Defense University, from 4,000 to 2,000 Afghanis ($58 to $29), as part of broader austerity measures, Amu TV reported. Housing stipends have been eliminated, and base salaries cut by 1,000–1,500 Afghanis ($15–$22). These cuts align with leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s directive to reduce government and military staffing by 20%, driven by fiscal strain and economic challenges.
Parallel salary reductions have hit civil servants, with delays of over two months in payments and demotions of mid-level professionals to support roles. The Ministry of Finance has not publicly addressed the cuts, though internal reports confirm reductions of up to 25%. Critics accuse the Taliban of disproportionately targeting former government employees, particularly women, further eroding morale.
Meanwhile, a polio vaccinator was killed and another injured in Gardez, Paktia, on 26 May 2025, after a homeowner refused immunization and opened fire. The attack highlights the dangers faced by health workers under Taliban restrictions banning door-to-door campaigns. Since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, Afghanistan has recorded 25 new polio cases, with Kandahar and Helmand provinces worst affected. Health experts warn that limited vaccine access in remote areas risks reversing eradication progress.
Global agencies like WHO and UNICEF urge the Taliban to resume full-scale immunization programs, citing escalating threats to regional health security. The twin crises of economic austerity and public health failures underscore the Taliban’s governance challenges amid international isolation.
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued an urgent alert over the worsening crisis faced by Afghan migrants deported from Iran and Pakistan. In April alone, approximately 280,000 Afghans were expelled, many returning to dire conditions—lacking shelter, food, and medical care. Host countries, grappling with economic crises, have intensified repatriations despite Afghanistan’s inability to absorb returnees safely.
Returnees report losing all possessions and facing heightened security threats, particularly ethnic minorities, activists, and journalists. The UNHCR estimates $60 million is needed immediately for basic aid, warning of spiraling risks including poverty, violence, and secondary displacement.
