Five years into Taliban rule, Afghanistan plunges into a state of collapse – visualised

Five Years Into Taliban Rule: Afghanistan’s Deepening Crisis

Wanderstayfinder.com – Five years into Taliban rule, Afghanistan faces what experts call a quiet but devastating collapse. In Kabul’s poorest neighborhoods, families like Malika’s are bearing the brunt of this transformation. The 46-year-old mother of five has watched her household slide from political uncertainty into full-scale humanitarian emergency.

Survival Through Sacrifice

Malika’s experience mirrors thousands of Afghan families. When winter brought unbearable hunger, she and her husband made a heartbreaking decision. They married off teenage daughter Maryam for 200,000 afghanis—roughly £2,270 at current rates.

God is my witness that during that winter, our food was almost nothing but dry bread and boiled water. Even that was often unavailable, and many nights we went to bed hungry.

Now, nearly two years later, Malika cannot afford school fees for her two youngest daughters, aged 12 and nine. Instead, these girls work in a clothing factory alongside their 16-year-old sister. Her husband pushes a handcart through Kabul’s streets, often returning home empty-handed—one of millions trapped in the struggling economy.

Economic Contraction and Isolation

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan has entered a deeper phase of crisis. While global attention has faded, conditions for ordinary citizens have worsened considerably.

The economy has contracted sharply. Foreign trade has plummeted, with imports growing faster than exports since 2021, widening the trade deficit. Government finances have suffered even more dramatically. The Taliban’s latest published budget for 2023 totaled just $2.44 billion—less than half the $6 billion maintained by the previous government.

In 2024, authorities abolished Afghanistan’s public pension system entirely while attempting to manage the fiscal crisis. This decision hit elderly citizens hardest, who had depended on regular payments for survival.

Population Pressure and Rising Prices

Economic output is technically expanding, but growth cannot keep pace with rapid population expansion. Millions of Afghans have returned home following deportation drives from Pakistan and Iran, adding pressure to an already strained economy. Inflation has accelerated alongside this demographic shift.

After averaging just 3.6 percent in 2025, inflation rose to 7.6 percent by March 2026. Rising food prices, supply chain disruptions, and increasing demand have combined to erode household purchasing power significantly. Unemployment has nearly doubled since 2021, with more than half a million jobs disappearing. International aid cuts have hollowed out public spending, while food price increases have squeezed household budgets once again.

Humanitarian Emergency

The numbers paint a stark picture. An estimated 21.9 million people—roughly 45 percent of Afghanistan’s population—will require humanitarian assistance in 2026. About 11.6 million of these are children, with 3.5 million under-five-year-olds already suffering from acute malnutrition.

But aid is not arriving in sufficient quantities. The United States, historically Afghanistan’s largest donor, provided more than $3 billion in humanitarian and development assistance between October 2021 and December 2024. However, in January 2025, President Donald Trump suspended US humanitarian funding for Afghanistan as part of a broader pause on all foreign aid programs. This removal eliminated a source that had accounted for approximately 45 percent of humanitarian support.

Healthcare System Under Strain

The consequences of funding shortages have been immediate and severe. More than 440 health clinics have been forced to close or reduce their services because of financial constraints. This has increased the proportion of Afghans without access to healthcare from 16 percent in 2024 to 23 percent in 2025.

Earlier this year, the World Food Programme reported that it now turned away three out of four acutely malnourished children seeking assistance. The organization cited insufficient funding as the primary reason for these rejections.

Women’s Rights in Crisis

Beyond economic hardship, Afghanistan faces what experts describe as a comprehensive rights crisis. Women and girls have lost access to education, employment, and public spaces under Taliban restrictions that have intensified over five years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How has Afghanistan’s economy changed since the Taliban returned to power? The economy has contracted significantly, with foreign trade plummeting and government budgets cut by more than half. The public pension system was abolished in 2024, and unemployment has nearly doubled.

What role does international aid play in Afghanistan today? International aid remains crucial, with the United States historically providing the largest share. However, US humanitarian funding was suspended in January 2025, eliminating approximately 45 percent of humanitarian support.

How many Afghans need humanitarian assistance in 2026? An estimated 21.9 million people—roughly 45 percent of the population—will require humanitarian assistance, including 11.6 million children.

What has happened to Afghanistan’s healthcare system? More than 440 health clinics have closed or reduced services due to financial constraints, increasing the proportion of Afghans without healthcare access from 16 percent to 23 percent.

How has inflation affected ordinary Afghans? Inflation rose from 3.6 percent in 2025 to 7.6 percent by March 2026, driven by rising food prices, supply chain disruptions, and increased demand from returning migrants.