KABUL, March 28 (Xinhua) -- As the final days of Ramadan approach, Afghans are grappling with severe economic challenges, casting a shadow over their Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

Qasim Khiber, a teacher, visited a local market in Kabul to buy dried fruits for Eid. "This year, the price of dried fruits has increased compared to last year, and economic difficulties have left us with no way out," Khiber told Xinhua while browsing various dried fruits and sweets.

Khiber, 37, is the sole breadwinner for his family of 12. "In previous years, we prepared a lot for Eid al-Fitr, but this year we are struggling financially." Due to economic constraints, he will not be able to serve traditional almonds and pistachios to his guests' tables for Eid al-Fitr this year.

Eid al-Fitr is traditionally marked by Afghan families preparing an assortment of fruits and sweets to welcome guests, a long-standing cultural practice. However, economic hardships have reached unprecedented levels this year due to dwindling humanitarian aid and ongoing sanctions from the United States.

Ramish, a 20-year-old street vendor in Kabul, sells dried fruits and sweets. "The price of everything has increased compared to previous years, and the economy is in ruins. Some people can afford it, but many cannot," he said. "In the past, we sold 70 to 80 kg of sweets daily, but now, people's income is unstable, we only sell 30 to 50 kg," Ramish said.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Kabir, a municipal worker in Kabul, was seen shopping downtown in his orange uniform. "I have bought raisins and sweets with the little money I have, but I can't afford anything else," he said with a tone of hopelessness.

Beyond dried fruits, new clothes are also a big part of Eid celebrations in Afghanistan. "When I go home, my children ask me for new clothes, and I tell them to wait," Kabir shared. The middle-aged man explained that house rent plus Eid shopping has created significant financial strain for him and his family.

Following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in August 2021, the U.S. government froze nearly 9.5 billion U.S. dollars in national foreign exchange assets held in the United States by the Afghan central bank, which pushed the financial and bank payment system in Afghanistan almost to the brink of collapse.