Shafaqna English- Kabul residents spend Eid al-Adha holiday in the shadow of economic anxiety and daily hardship.
They blame Taliban restrictions, poverty, and rampant unemployment for the loss of that enthusiasm. In 2026, particularly since regional turmoil in the Middle East began rippling through the country’s markets, most people are consumed with meeting their most basic needs and can barely afford new clothes, a sacrificial animal, or other Eid-related expenses.
Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, these residents say that in the past, even with limited means, people welcomed Eid with genuine excitement and spent those days joyfully alongside family and friends.
In recent years, however, many families no longer have the means or the will to mark the occasion. Some families still make preparations, but those efforts bear no resemblance to the enthusiasm of years past.
Meanwhile, several shopkeepers say that the price of dried fruits has risen in 2026 and that, despite customers coming through their doors, many people cannot afford to buy. They point to recent developments in the Middle East as a key driver of price increases across the country.
The Eid table in Afghanistan, once a symbol of tradition, hospitality, and social solidarity, is now either set very simply in many homes or not laid at all. Declining incomes, unemployment, and the absence of economic support have left even this longstanding custom diminished.
Sources: Hasht-e Subh Daily