Unemployment Pushes Afghanistan Youth to the Taliban

The resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan has led many to believe that the country's young men are turning to the hard line Muslim group because of religious beliefs. Religious beliefs are playing a small role in the increased numbers of Taliban fighters, though. According to a press release from the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, many of the new recruits turn to the Talban as a last resort to escape unemployment and crushing poverty.

For many of Afghanistan's youth, the only way out of poverty is through the Taliban or in the poppy and opium trade in the country's southern region. "I couldn't find a job anywhere," he said. "So I had to join the Taliban. They give me money for my family expenditures. If I left the Taliban, what else could I do?" said 19 year old Jaan Agha. "I couldn't find a job anywhere, so I had to join the Taliban. They give me money for my family expenditures. If I left the Taleban, what else could I do?"

With insurgent attacks growing more frequent, more and more schools are closing. Without access to even the most basic education, Afghani youth are unable to compete for even low-paying jobs. For many, the Taliban provides the only opportunity to receive basic health care and money for food and clothing. Said twenty-two year old Mahmud from Lashkar Gah, "I fought for the Taleban for two years because I had no other job." Mahmud said he fought for the Taliban for two years, until he was able to save enough money to start his own business. "Now that I have work, I am not with the Taleban any more."

The high cost of Afghan weddings can also drive many young men to fight for the Taliban. In Afghani culture, bridegrooms are expected to pay a "walwar," a large sum of money, to the bride's family. In some areas, a wedding can cost up to $20,000. For men who are not part of the lucrative opium trade, saving enough money for a bride can be difficult. Torjan of Nadali was engaged for eight years, "Then my bride's father doubled the price we had agreed on. I joined the Afghan National Army, but then I began to receive death threats from the Taleban. So then I joined them." The Taliban did not pay well enough for Torjan to pay the new bride price, so he turned to smuggling drugs instead.

Source: IWRP Press Release