(Kabul) The Taliban on Friday called on the international community to send emergency humanitarian aid to Afghanistan “without any political bias”, recent bad weather further complicating the living conditions of Afghans.
Since the fall of the former Afghan government backed by the United States and its allies in mid-August, Western countries have cut off the aid taps that kept the country afloat and billions of dollars in Afghan assets have been frozen.
On the brink of famine
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, with more than half of the 38 million Afghans at risk of famine, according to several international NGOs.
As several southern regions are affected by flooding and snow falls over parts of northern and central Afghanistan, the Taliban deputy prime minister on Friday asked for help from the international community in a video.
“In various places at the moment, people do not have food, shelter, warm clothes or money,” Abdul Ghani Baradar said in this message released by public media.
Co-founder of the Taliban, Abdul Ghani Baradar added that “the world must support the Afghan people without any political bias and fulfill their humanitarian obligations”.
According to him, the bad weather has complicated the “already delicate situation” of the Afghan people, even if he assured that the Taliban are ready to face this “emergency situation”.
“Do not forget our poor people”
“We ask the international community, NGOs and all countries not to forget our poor people,” continued Mr. Baradar.
While the Taliban have repeatedly called for the thaw of stranded assets and the return of aid, this is the first direct call for help from a senior leader in the face of the humanitarian crisis.
Kabul, which had not experienced regular snowfall in recent years, has been covered since Tuesday with a thick white coat that has, for a time, paralyzed the city.
Several major axes across the country have been cut and heavy rainfall including snowfall is still expected in the coming days, according to weather services quoted by the Afghan media.
No country has yet recognized the Taliban government, and the international community is trying to find ways to deliver aid without supporting the regime.
In December, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution that will facilitate humanitarian aid to Afghanistan for a year, a move touted as “a good step” by the Taliban.
The 57 countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have promised to set up a donation fund and try to unlock part of the country’s assets.