Afghanistan need aid in bitter cold, hunger

The start of a harsh winter is accelerating Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis. Since the Taliban’s arrival, and international sanctions, the economy has gone into freefall.

The collapse of the previous Afghan government and the withdrawal of western support have led to soaring unemployment. Few can afford to feed their families or heat their homes.

A million children are at risk from severe malnourishment. The United Nations has now issued an urgent call for aid for the country. The BBC's former Afghanistan correspondent, Quentin Sommerville, has returned to Kabul, reports BBC.

Afghanistan’s web news portal ariananews.af adds: Meanwhile, Iran has offered to work with India to transport much-needed humanitarian aid and medical supplies to Afghanistan,

India’s media reported that this aid includes wheat, medicines, and the COVID vaccines.

According to India’s Republic World, the agreement was made on Saturday by Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian during a phone conversation with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar.

With no direct flights from India to Afghanistan, Iran has said it will allow the aid to transit through Chabahar port to Afghanistan.

The Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on Iran’s southern coast, is being built by India and Iran to strengthen commercial connections.

Already, the Indian government provided 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Afghanistan via Tehran on January 1.

India also delivered two tonnes of life-saving medicines to Afghanistan on January 7, the third shipment since last month. The medicines were transported via Dubai, while a charter flight ferried another shipment of medicine to Kabul last week.

All medicine and vaccines were handed over to the World Health Organization (WHO) and are expected to be used at the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul.