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Funding cuts put Afghan women at risk as clinics close, CARE warns
The international humanitarian organization said 21.9 million people in Afghanistan will need humanitarian assistance in 2026.
Declining humanitarian funding is putting millions of Afghans at greater risk, with women and girls facing some of the most severe consequences as health facilities close and essential services are reduced, CARE has warned.
The international humanitarian organization said 21.9 million people in Afghanistan will need humanitarian assistance in 2026. Between April and September, an estimated 13.8 million people are expected to face crisis levels of acute food insecurity, while nearly 3.7 million children under five and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition.
CARE said funding shortages have already forced it to close 30 clinics this year, while the World Health Organization has reported that about 150 health facilities nationwide have suspended operations or closed since January because of funding shortfalls.
The closures are raising particular concerns for pregnant women in a country where maternal mortality remains extremely high. Afghanistan has a maternal mortality rate of 638 deaths per 100,000 live births, which CARE describes as the highest in Asia.
“Emergency assistance remains essential, but it is not enough,” said Mohammad Akmal Shareef, CARE’s Country Director in Afghanistan, calling for sustained investment in healthcare, education, nutrition, livelihoods and local civil society organizations.
Shareef also emphasized the critical role of female healthcare and humanitarian workers in reaching women and girls who may otherwise struggle to access assistance.
CARE estimates that more than 10 million Afghan women and girls will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, making the continued presence of trained female doctors, nurses, teachers and aid workers particularly important.
The organization urged the international community to maintain engagement with Afghanistan and provide longer-term funding for essential services, arguing that the country needs support that extends beyond emergency relief and helps communities strengthen resilience and move toward greater stability.
CARE has operated in Afghanistan since 1961. The organization said it reached approximately 1.2 million people in 2025, with women and girls accounting for 67 percent of those reached. It currently supports 32 health facilities in Balkh, Paktya, Khost, Ghazni and Herat provinces
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Tajikistan sends protest note to Afghanistan after airspace violation, civilian death
Tajikistan has sent a protest note to the Afghan authorities following an alleged violation of its airspace, damage to residential buildings and the death of a civilian in Darvoz district of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), the Tajik Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Tajik media outlet Asia-Plus, citing the Information and Press Department of Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry, reported that armed clashes in recent days in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, particularly in districts bordering Tajikistan’s Darvoz district, have posed a threat to the security of Tajik border areas and resulted in violations of international law.
The ministry said Tajikistan’s airspace was violated during the fighting, several homes were damaged and one civilian was killed in Darvoz district.
In response, Tajikistan delivered a formal protest note to the Afghan side, expressing strong concern over the incident and calling on the Afghan authorities to respect the inviolability of Tajikistan’s state border.
Dushanbe also demanded that effective measures be taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
An official source in the Darvoz district administration told Asia-Plus that the victim was identified as 21-year-old Yosuman Yatimzoda, a resident of Dashtak village.
She leaves behind a young child. According to sources, Yatimzoda was also pregnant.
The incident occurred at around 6:40 p.m. on August 13. Yatimzoda was at home doing household chores when a bullet entered through a window and struck her in the liver area.
“The woman was taken to the district central hospital, but she died on the way,” an Asia-Plus source said.
However, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has not yet commented on the report.
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IEA rejects Pakistan’s concerns, says Afghan soil will not be used against any country
His remarks came after Sharif said Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan but considers the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities “unacceptable.”
The Islamic Emirate has rejected concerns raised by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the alleged use of Afghan territory for militant activities, reiterating that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against any country.
Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Islamabad should raise its concerns directly with Kabul rather than making accusations, so that necessary measures can be taken.
Mujahid also said Afghanistan cannot prevent insecurity and internal challenges inside Pakistan, urging Islamabad to address its own domestic problems.
Calling Pakistan a “brotherly country,” Mujahid said instability in Pakistan is not in Afghanistan’s interest. He also called for greater trust among regional countries, particularly neighboring states.
His remarks came after Sharif said Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan but considers the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities “unacceptable.”
Sharif urged the Afghan leadership to take immediate steps to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for militants.
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FM Muttaqi says Islamic Emirate sees no need for talks with opponents
He claimed that Afghans are satisfied with the current government and that the Islamic Emirate enjoys broad support across the country.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi says the Islamic Emirate no longer sees a need for dialogue or negotiations with its opponents, arguing that the country’s conflict and political crisis have ended.
In an interview with the BBC, Muttaqi discussed Afghanistan’s domestic situation, foreign relations and girls’ education.
He claimed that Afghans are satisfied with the current government and that the Islamic Emirate enjoys broad support across the country. Muttaqi also said Afghanistan maintains positive relations with many countries, with more than 40 embassies and consulates currently operating in the country.
On the structure of government, Muttaqi described the Islamic Emirate as inclusive, saying women continue to work in some government institutions.
Addressing girls’ education, he said education for girls above the sixth grade remains suspended “until further notice,” while girls continue to receive education in religious schools.
Muttaqi also criticized Iran for inviting Afghan opposition figures to attend the funeral ceremony of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He said Tehran “did not do the right thing” and that the Islamic Emirate had formally conveyed its objection to the Iranian authorities.
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