Taliban militant (file photo)

The Conversation: Over 1,000 people are thought to have been killed in the latest earthquake to hit Afghanistan. Humanitarian aid agencies are scrambling to help the affected villages. But the realities of Taliban rule are starting to have an impact on the ground, as relations between the authorities and NGOs fray. Taliban policies and governance style also directly contribute to the problem by hurting the economy. The World Bank’s latest assessment warns of “economic uncertainty”. Initial Taliban performance, in funding a national budget, without external support, was impressive. But now the Taliban’s aggressive tax collection is depressing demand. And in a replay of the “guns v butter” problem, the Taliban are channelling resources to their security forces leaving little for the civilian population. Click here to read more (external link).