Residents of Khost province in southeastern Afghanistan are struggling to cope with a sharp rise in fuel prices this winter, with the cost of firewood and coal climbing beyond the reach of many low-income households.
As temperatures drop, residents say the soaring cost of basic heating fuels has made it increasingly difficult to keep their homes warm. According to local residents, the price of one kharwar (about 560 kilograms) of firewood has risen to more than 10,000 Afghanis ($140), while coal is selling for around the same price.
“The price of firewood is very high. We want it to be cheaper,” said a Khost resident. “Our request from the government is to bring these prices down.”
Others said the increase was not limited to wood and coal, but extended to other forms of fuel such as gas, putting additional pressure on household budgets.
“All fuel prices have gone up sharply. It has gone beyond limits – gas is expensive, wood is expensive,” another resident said.
Some residents have called on local Taliban authorities to closely monitor fuel prices and prevent profiteering, warning that without intervention, many families will be unable to endure the harsh winter conditions.
“We ask the government to make everything cheaper,” said another resident. “There is poverty. I work all day on a bicycle and earn about 50 to 100 Afghanis. What can we afford with this money?”
Daily wages for many people in Khost range between 50 and 100 Afghanis, residents say, making it difficult to cover even basic living expenses, let alone rising heating costs.
Residents warned that if fuel prices continue to rise, low-income families could face a serious crisis during the winter months, as the ability to heat homes becomes increasingly unaffordable for large segments of the population.
