MAIMANA (Pajhwok news agency) — Turkmenistan has cut off power supply to Afghanistan’s border provinces, Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS) announced on Monday. Power supply to Herat, Faryab, Sar-i-Pul and Jawzjan was severed after Turkmenistan’s demand for doubling the electricity rate was rejected.

Amanullah Ghalib, the head of DABS, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Turkmenistan decided to increase the price of power imports to Afghanistan by 100%. However, the demand was declined. In response, the exporter cut off power supply. He hoped a delegation would soon visit Turkmenistan to share Afghanistan’s reservations with them.

Meanwhile, residents of Faryab accused the unity government of not paying adequate heed to the construction of hydropower dams over the past 17 years. “Afghanistan’s abundant water resources are flowing into neighbouring countries while the nation has been forced into begging for power”, an inhabitant remarked.