KABUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- As winter approaches in mountainous, war-torn Afghanistan, people have begun buying firewood to keep their homes warm during the freezing season.

However, soaring prices of firewood and coal ahead of winter have left many Afghan families struggling to afford fuel to withstand the harsh winter in a country where the majority of the population requires humanitarian assistance.

"Like many people, I have yet to buy wood or coal because of economic hardship. People are too poor to buy any," Ghayour, a 60-year-old street vendor, told Xinhua in a subdued voice.

Unlike people in developed countries, Afghans have limited access to central heating systems and therefore rely on firewood and coal to heat their homes during winter.

Earning up to 220 afghani (around 3.42 U.S. dollars) per day, Ghayour lamented what he described as the worsening economic situation. He said he had been able to buy four sacks of coal for 5,000 afghani last year but had yet to buy any this year.

"I have not bought firewood or coal either. The economic situation of people is very bad. I purchased four bags of coal last year, but I have bought nothing so far this year," the elderly man said.

Around 21.9 million people in Afghanistan, nearly 45 percent of the country's population, will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Selling tomatoes and apples on the streets of Kabul, Ghayour, the breadwinner of a six-member family, complained of poverty and expressed hope of finding a stable source of income in the future to cope with his growing financial difficulties.

Although the Afghan government has been striving to address economic challenges by launching development and infrastructure projects to rebuild the war-torn country, create jobs and alleviate poverty, much remains to be done. Many Afghans continue to leave their homeland in search of work abroad.

Bargaining with a firewood seller at a market in Kabul, another resident, Najmudin, said he was checking prices to determine whether he could afford to buy fuel.

"Unemployment and financial difficulties are our main problems. Last year, I bought 1.5 kharwar (840 kg) of firewood to heat my house in winter, but this year I may buy only one kharwar because of financial problems," Najmudin told Xinhua.

He also complained that one kharwar of good-quality firewood, equivalent to 560 kg, costs around 13,000 afghani, putting it beyond the reach of ordinary people.

"Poor-quality wood produces smoke and pollutes the environment, eventually affecting children's health," Najmudin said, adding that despite unemployment and economic hardship, people have little choice but to buy firewood.

Confirming the price hike, Gul Rahman, a firewood seller, said rising prices had reduced people's purchasing power, making it increasingly difficult for them to buy firewood and other fuels to heat their homes in winter.

"Usually, people begin buying firewood in August, but October is nearing its end, and only a few people have bought wood because of financial problems," Rahman told Xinhua at his shop.

"Last year, by this time, I had already sold 700 to 800 kharwar of firewood, but so far this year, I have barely sold 200 kharwar because of poverty," the young seller said.