Millions stolen from main money market in Kabul

Millions dollars were stolen from Afghanistan's main money market as the Taliban militia pulled out of Kabul and the opposition moved in, money changers said yesterday.

"This was all our capital. Even the computers, carpets and tea pots have gone. This is a crime against Afghanistan, the Afghans and against Islam," said Haji Amin Jan Khosti, chief of the Shara-e-Shazada money exchange.

He said unknown thieves looted 80 shops in the market, leaving none untouched and driving away with trucks full of the local afghani currency, which is worth around 50,000 to the dollar.

A massive fortune, at least in Afghan terms, of around US$1.5 million and 100 million Pakistani rupees (US$1.6 million), plus unknown amounts of various other currencies had disappeared.

"In every shop at least five to 10 million Pakistan rupees has been taken," said Khosti.

"They haven't left anything. It is a terrorist act and whoever did it deserves the damnation of God Almighty."

Another changer, Najimuddin, said a lot of ordinary people in this desperately poor city had lost their life savings.

"This market was a kind of unofficial bank. People did not trust the government banks because they are not safe. So if people had capital they brought it to us," he said.

"I can't tell you how much I lost because it is too painful to talk about."

The Taliban, which had ruled Kabul since 1996, pulled out of the city overnight after opposition forces, backed by US air power, drove them from the northern provinces and smashed their front lines around the city.

Opposition forces were the first into Kabul around dawn yesterday. It was not known at what stage the money market was looted or who was responsible.

A reporter saw civilians looting the Pakistani embassy here, taking electric fans, air conditioners and blankets.

International groups have called for a massive cash injection from the donor community to help rebuild the city and create a new broad-based government to replace the Taliban.