Former Afghan Officials Struggle with Hardship Four Years After Taliban Return

Former Afghan Officials Struggle with Hardship Four Years After Taliban Return
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Four years after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, many former government employees continue to face severe economic difficulties, unemployment, and limited access to healthcare, Amu TV reported.

In one province, a former soldier suffering from kidney failure relies on financial help from neighbors and relatives to afford dialysis treatment due to lack of steady income. Elsewhere, former civil servants have turned to small-scale farming to survive, building greenhouses to grow vegetables with minimal profits.

Another former government worker now spends his days working in agriculture, describing the labor as difficult but preferable to unemployment. Others struggle to cover basic living expenses such as rent and electricity, often earning only a modest daily wage.

Many of these individuals remain marginalized and live on the fringes of Afghan society, with some unable to afford treatment for chronic illnesses and others working long hours for low pay, far from their previous official positions.

A recent UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report noted continued security challenges, documenting seven killings of former security personnel, eight cases of arbitrary arrest by Taliban authorities, and three incidents of torture or ill-treatment from May to July 2025. These hardships highlight the ongoing socio-economic struggles and security risks faced by former officials under the current Afghan regime.