Afghanistan: Women hold protest in Kabul, demand release of Afghan Bank assets

Kabul [Afghanistan], December 29 : Dozens of women came out on the streets of Kabul on Wednesday to protest the continued hold on Afghan bank assets by the US amid an economic crisis in Afghanistan, local media reported.
The women protestors called on the US to free up Afghan bank assets to prevent the further deterioration of the situation. The protestors carried banners saying, "Our children want food, release our money," Tolo News reported.
They also called on the international community to lobby for the release of the bank assets by the US.
"Afghanistan's frozen money should be released. It belongs to the people of Afghanistan, not to the current government. Our children demand food from us, we do not have money to pay for our rent. We should go back to work," Tolo News quoted Nasima Amiri, a civil society activist as saying.
"The US should release the frozen money of Afghanistan so the people of Afghanistan can cope with the economic problems in the winter," Tolo News quoted Mahnaz Khadimi, a protester.
The protesters read aloud a number of demands calling on both the Taliban and the international community to address their needs.
"The international community should put into practice its human rights slogans and in a united way should advocate for the release of our money. The US should free the frozen assets of Afghanistan immediately without any conditions," a protester said.
The protester said, "The Afghans are facing more challenges today than any time before and the international community should not stay silent and impartial. They should provide any sort of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan," Tolo News reported.
The protesters also called on the UN and the World Bank to find a solution for the looming economic crisis in Afghanistan.