Afghans take streets in protest against US freezing of assets

KABUL - Thousands of Afghans took streets in national capital of Kabul Sunday to protest against freeze of the country's assets by the United States, calling the release of Afghans assets.

The Afghan economy, since the Taliban's takeover in last August, has suffered from the freeze of over $9 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank by the United States as well as a halt in funds by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The demonstrators were holding placards that said "our seized money should be handed over!" and "Give us our frozen money!"

"The special demand of Afghan people and my demand is to unfreeze our money, it is our rights, they should give our rights, otherwise we will continue our demonstration to make our voice heard," a protester Zekrullah said in a diplomatic district near the shuttered US embassy, adding that the demonstrators came from different provinces.

The protesters said a ban on Afghan assets was an act against the international laws and a violation of international principles.

A couple of days ago a group of Afghan women also held a similar protest at the same district.