Taliban FM appeals international community for aid

KABUL (Khaama Press): The Taliban government’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs appealed to the international community and aid organizations to support those affected by recent natural disasters in Afghanistan stating that the Taliban, alone, are unable to meet the needs of the victims.

Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a meeting on Thursday at the ministry stated that the Taliban are not able to provide the necessities for the victims of the recent natural catastrophes in Afghanistan.

The recent floods in Afghanistan, according to the Taliban official, have destroyed more than 12,000 residential structures, killed over 9,000 livestock, killed at least 200 people, and caused the injuries of another 300 people.

During the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taliban minister Muttaqi said that an amount of 160 million Afghanis had been distributed in cash to the victims, while some 20,000 people received food and non-food assistance.

Heavy rains have affected several provinces in Afghanistan’s eastern, central, southern, and western provinces, causing flash floods and landslides that have killed, displaced, and destroyed homes.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affair’s most recent report, at least 118 people have been killed as a result of flash floods just this month.

This year, Afghanistan has endured several severe natural calamities, including a drought and an earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people in June.

Since the cash-strapped Taliban took control a year ago, the country Afghanistan has been isolated from the global financial system.