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UK pledges 315 million pounds in aid for Afghanistan over next three years
The United Kingdom has pledged £315 million ($425 million) in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan over the next three years, reaffirming its long-term commitment to supporting Afghans amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
In a statement on Thursday, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hamish Falconer, said the UK will provide £105 million annually from 2026 to 2029, making Afghanistan one of Britain’s largest Official Development Assistance (ODA) recipients during that period.
Falconer said nearly 22 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian assistance this year, including 17.4 million facing acute food insecurity. He added that almost 5 million women, girls and boys are expected to need treatment for malnutrition in 2026, while drought, floods, economic fragility and regional instability continue to deepen the humanitarian crisis.
The UK said its funding will focus on life-saving health and nutrition services, education, protection for vulnerable people, livelihood support and climate resilience. It also plans to increase cooperation with Afghan partners that are not affiliated with the Islamic Emirate to support locally led initiatives, including assistance for Afghans returning from neighboring countries.
Falconer said women and girls will remain at the center of the UK’s aid strategy, stressing that Britain will continue to prioritize their rights and aims to ensure that at least half of all people reached by UK-funded assistance are women and girls.
He said the IEA’s restrictions on women and girls, including limits on education, employment and participation in public life, continue to undermine fundamental freedoms and pose a major obstacle to Afghanistan’s long-term development and stability.
According to the statement, UK-funded humanitarian programs supported at least 2.7 million people during the 2024/25 financial year, including more than 1.7 million women and girls.
The UK said it will continue working with international donors, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, to help finance essential services, particularly healthcare, while supporting broader international efforts to address Afghanistan’s humanitarian needs.
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met on Wednesday with Yasmine Praz Dessimoz, Director General of Operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to discuss Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the meeting covered the country’s humanitarian needs, the increasing number of returning migrants, healthcare services, and problems and needs remaining from the war.
The two sides emphasized the importance of continuing and expanding the ICRC’s humanitarian cooperation and expressed readiness for greater coordination in healthcare and other humanitarian areas.
The meeting also highlighted that Afghanistan has emerged from a prolonged period of war and has now entered a new phase of development and economic growth. However, some problems and needs of war victims still require attention.
Security officials in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province say the situation in Zebak district is currently stable, but claim that Pakistan is providing shelter and training to opponents of the Islamic Emirate in the Chitral region.
Abdul Basir Mazhari, Badakhshan’s police chief, said opponents of the Islamic Emirate have established shelters and training facilities near the Durand Line in Chitral.
He claimed the groups could attempt to use the Shah Salim Pass to disrupt security in Badakhshan and other northeastern provinces.
“There is evidence that Pakistan has established shelters and training centers for opponents of the government near the Durand Line,” Mazhari said. “Badakhshan is the only province in the north that shares a border with Pakistan, and Pakistan has gathered opponents of the government in Chitral.”
Despite the claims, residents in central Zebak said daily life remains normal and there have been no signs of fighting in the area.
Badakhshan security officials said their forces have been deployed along the Durand Line and remain on standby to respond to any potential threats.
According to local officials, Zebak district has three routes connecting it to areas across the Durand Line, with security forces stationed in the area.
Football fans across Afghanistan can watch Tottenham Hotspur take on Charlton Athletic live on Ariana Television Network (ATN) tonight, Wednesday, August 26, with coverage beginning at 23:15 Kabul time.
The two London clubs meet in the second round of the EFL Cup, with Tottenham looking to progress while Charlton will aim to produce an upset against their Premier League opponents.
Tottenham enter the match as favourites on paper, with their greater top-flight experience expected to make them the stronger side. However, cup football can produce surprises, and Charlton will be looking to take advantage of any opportunity at their disposal.
The match provides Tottenham with another chance to build momentum early in the season, while Charlton will see the tie as an opportunity to test themselves against one of England’s biggest clubs.
The EFL Cup remains an important route to silverware for clubs across the English football pyramid, with teams aiming to advance through each round toward the final at Wembley.
Afghanistan fans can watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic live tonight on Ariana Television, from 23:15 Kabul time.
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