ILO report says Afghan crisis causing massive job losses

By ELAINE KURTENBACH
AP Business Writer

BANGKOK (AP) — The International Labor Organization says more than a half million people in Afghanistan have lost their jobs since the Taliban takeover in mid-August. An ILO report released Wednesday said the political crisis has paralyzed the economy and slammed the labor market. The situation is especially devastating for women and for people working in farming, government jobs, social services and construction, with many people losing their jobs or not receiving their wages. Companies are struggling to stay afloat, as thousands of Afghans flee the country each day. The report by the U.N. agency that supports labor standards and decent jobs for all says 700,000-900,000 jobs are likely to have been lost by June as work becomes more scarce.