Jorge Silva and Gibran Naryyar Peshimam

KABUL, (Reuters) – Hundreds of Afghans poured in to Kabul’s passport offices on Wednesday. It was only a day since the news broke that they would reopen next week. Taliban security forces had to fight some members of the crowd to preserve order.

Taliban officials said that service would resume on Saturday following their August takeover.

Mahir Rasooli outside the office said that he came to apply for a passport. However, as you see, there are many issues and the system isn’t working.

“There’s no one here who can answer all our questions and tell us when to go. “People are often confused.”

An official of the Taliban responsible for passport control did not immediately reply to our requests.

Hunger and poverty have worsened in Afghanistan since Islamists took power. Afghanistan had already been hit by drought and COVID-19.

According to the United Nations, half a million people were displaced over the past months. This number is expected to grow further if schools, health care, and economic services are disrupted.

Many people gathered at the passport office despite being told that passport distribution would not begin until Saturday and only for applicants who have already applied.

In a scene that evoked Kabul’s chaos during evacuation, the crowd was forced against a concrete barrier and tried to pass documents on to an official.

Official urged them both to come home on Saturday and to stay there.

Ahmad Shakib Sidiqi, a man from the crowd said, “I came here to get a passport. But unfortunately, I couldn’t.” I don’t know how to proceed in such a situation.

Sidiqi & Rasooli stated that their desire is to flee the grim economic situation.

Rasooli said, “There are no jobs and the economic environment is poor.”

Sidiqi claimed he was looking for a passport so he could accompany his family members to Pakistan, to receive medical treatment. But they couldn’t leave.

He said, “We must leave Afghanistan.” He said, “It’s a terrible situation in Afghanistan. There is no work and no jobs. This is not the best place to live in.”

Although they have stated that they would welcome any international help, the Taliban claimed they were grateful to many donors who stopped providing it after their rise to power.