3.5 mn displaced Afghans starving: UNHCR
Kabul, Dec 4 : Winter is approaching and at least 3.5 million displaced people in Afghanistan are starving and also do not have access to shelter and warm clothes, said Babar Baloch, UNHCR’s spokesperson in Refugees affairs.
Baloch said the families, who have been displaced due to war and insecurity, are lacking shelter, warm clothes, and even firewoods to heat their houses.
“Humanitarian crisis is deepening in Afghanistan and starvation is now at its unprecedented level in the country. 23 million Afghans that form 55 percent population of the country are facing the highest level of poverty and nine million of them are facing starvation.” he said.
The number of malnourished children is growing and hospitals are nearly overwhelmed with malnourished children and the 3 million of these children are at a critical point, the UN spokesperson highlighted.
He also said UN needs up to USD 375 million to run humanitarian operations during this and upcoming winters.
According to The Khaama Press, Afghanistan is going through potentially the worst humanitarian situation at the moment as millions of people have been laid off, the banking system has been crippled, the unemployment rate is at its highest level ever, and prices of food ingredients and fuel are nearly doubled in compared with the past year.
The war-torn country has been facing humanitarian and economic crisis since the Taliban takeover.
UNI