Half of Afghanistan's vulnerable population 'in dire need' of humanitarian aid: UN

Highlighting the “sufferings" of the vulnerable Afghani population, mostly women and children, due to insurgency across several fronts on borders of Afghanistan, the UN on Monday stated that half of the Afghan population was now in dire need of humanitarian aid. This included a third of children that are facing malnutrition driven by food shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s military and political turmoil, alike.

A report published by the Asia Pacific Regional Humanitarian wing of the UN highlighted the plight of the displaced families to neighbouring areas due to heavy fighting in areas of Nahr-e-Saraj District Administrative Centre (DAC) in Hilmand province. UN stated that this wave of the internally displaced population was in need of international financial assistance for survival. 

Afghanistan's refugees and repatriation ministry had confirmed the vulnerable Afghani population’s fleeing the territory in a statement last week, stating, “Escalation of violence by the Taliban terrorist group in the country and the spread of the third wave of COVID-19 have caused a great deal of economic and social unrest, creating concerns and challenges for the people.” It further appealed to the European governments and host countries to refrain from forcibly deporting Afghan refugees back in the war-torn region for at least the next three months.

According to the United Nations refugee agency data, the world’s second-largest registered refugee population, an estimated 2.5 million came from Afghanistan, with the vast majority taking refuge in neighbouring Pakistan, Europe or Iran. 

Kabul’s state news agency Khaama Press on Monday quoted the UN general secretary’s deputy special representative in Afghanistan, Ramiz Alkabrove, as saying that approximately 18.4 million people in Afghanistan were in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. To address this humanitarian crisis, the Afghan government launched a Joint Humanitarian Appeal with UNAMA to prevent a humanitarian crisis that worsened in recent weeks due to pandemic, drought, and Taliban- Afghan government conflict. 

“The appeal is to humanity to show that we can save people from hunger by working together,” the Acting Minister for finance for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan wrote on Twitter as he announced the USD 250 million scheme for relief.  

'Food, water, NFIs, shelter urgent needs,' says UN OCHA

Afghanistan’s deputy special representative, Ramiz Alakbarov, meanwhile expressed concerns about the Afghani children suffering from acute malnutrition as well as condemned the humanitarian aid envoys being attacked and killed as he reiterated that the neutral workers should not be subjected to attacks by armed groups. On June 17 armed conflict started between the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and a Non-State Armed Group (NSAG) in Afghanistan’s Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand Province. The fight spread across many regions including Ab Pashak, Band-e-Barq, Parchaw, Old Prison, Deh Adam Khan and Musaqalah Adda areas.

 The conflict led to the humanitarian impact as it triggered the flight of local residents with local authorities estimating that 4,200 people have been displaced from Nahr-e-Saraj DAC alone to nearby villages within the Nahr-e-Saraj district. Many of these displaced people and affected families took shelter with host families and relatives, or have been staying in open. UN OCHA stated in a report, that “food, water, NFIs, shelter and wash assistance are the most urgent needs for vulnerable groups.”