Kabul (AFP) - war can kill thousands of civilians a year in Afghanistan, but the suffocation of pollution of the air in the capital Kabul is more lethal, experts say that.
The signs of the silent killer - pollutants emitted by people burning trash, fuel quality and old cars - are everywhere on the chaotic streets.
Men on foot or by bicycle, usually covering their mouths with masks or scarves to prevent dust. Women shake blue burqa to their faces.
"It is not possible to stay in good health without mask," said Ahmad Wali, a pharmacist with her every day, even when working in his shop.
"People are blocked with a very big problem." It is difficult to reduce pollution quickly. We have to breathe this air. ?
Primitive hospitals and are of the city are forced to deal with increasing numbers of people with respiratory problems.
"I was sick for three years," said Malalai, an Afghan mother of nine treaties to Jamhuriat hospital, one of the largest of the city.
"When I speak, I get short of breath after two or three minutes." I have pain in the chest when I try to breathe. I can not walk or stand for a long time and I have no energy. ?
The figures are stark. About 3,000 people by die year of pollution of the air in Kabul, the National Agency for the Protection of the environment, said last year.
By comparison, the United Nations says that 2,777 civilians have been killed in the war in Afghanistan in 2010.
There are several main causes of air pollution, but underlying all them is the rapid expansion of Kabul as people fled the capital for relative stability in the middle of the fighting in many rural areas.
The city was designed for approximately one million people, but is today home to approximately five million, a figure who said of the municipality of Kabul doubled in six years.
Most of the newcomers living in houses built illegally slums and the struggles Kabul infrastructure to cope.
The town roads are usually stuck with old and poorly maintained cars imported illegally as the Canada, Germany and the United States countries, often spewing fumes that are the by-product of poor quality fuel.
Most of the roads are paved, which means that when cars can move, they throw up dust which adds to the quality of the air.
Households often depend on diesel for electricity generators, while companies such as brick factories, and public baths also use.
In the frigid winter, local people burn often all what they can get holds of, including old tires and plastic, they are struggling to keep warm.
The Ministry of health considers more tripled the number of Afghans suffering from respiratory problems six years to approximately 480,000.
Officials admit that they are difficult to get on top of the problem given the scope of the problems faced by the Afghanistan after three decades of war and 10 years after the 2001 US invasion brought down the Taliban.
Last year, they have official holidays Thursday in Kabul - in addition to the Friday - to reduce air pollution. Also adopted A resolution for the prohibition of businessmen, import of old cars.
The Office of the Mayor, insists that the move was a "very good" effect to stop pollution getting worse but could not provide figures.
"Government vehicles are not allowed to (use) vacation and prevents all vehicles to move around and is a great help to reduce pollution," said spokesman Mohammad Ishaq Samadi.
But Ghulam Mohammad Malikyar, Advisor to la National Environment Protection Agency, said: "nous still have difficulty to environmental issues and the environment a priority in national and international strategies."
"The country was at war for 30 years and there is very little control over the environment, no there was no protection of the environment to all the".
Doctors warn that unless the action is brought, Kabul is facing serious problems.
Erfanullah Shifa, a doctor at the Jamhuriat hospital, said up to 20 people per day were registering with respiratory problems.
"If air pollution increases the way it is now, people of Afghanistan will face a health catastrophe in the near future" said Shifa.
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