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Afghan families still in need of vital support, one year after Herat earthquakes
Plagued by a severe funding shortfall, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has warned that with winter rapidly approaching, the outlook for at least 25,000 Afghan families in Herat is bleak as they still lack adequate shelter a year after deadly earthquakes struck the province.
On October 7, 11 and 15 of last year, massive earthquakes hit the province, leaving over 275,000 people in urgent need of assistance.
The three 6.3 magnitude earthquakes devastated 382 villages, resulted in the death of 1,480 people and injured nearly 2,000 others.
Homes, health centers, schools and essential infrastructure were destroyed in an instant, further exacerbating the vulnerability of communities already grappling with the aftermath of decades of conflict and economic hardship.
While assistance was mobilized quickly, the challenges remain significant as many families continue to struggle in the wake of the earthquakes and have found it hard to recover – both psychologically and materially.
One such family is led by Tahmina, a 25-year-old mother from one of the worst-affected villages in Herat.
The earthquakes claimed the lives of fourteen members of her family, including her parents, siblings and younger relatives. Her children remain traumatized by the events, with one unable to laugh or walk since that tragic day.
Tahmina’s story reflects the difficulties faced by countless other Afghan families who were also affected by the earthquakes.
However, a severe funding shortfall is posing major challenges to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), which has helped drive the humanitarian assistance process in Herat and across Afghanistan.
In a report published this week, UNOCHA said Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) faces a severe funding shortfall, having received only $961.7 million – 31.4 percent of the $3.06 billion required.
This $2.09 billion funding gap threatens essential aid programmes as humanitarian needs remain acute.
The agency also reported that from July to September, widespread flash floods impacted more than 18,900 people across 14 provinces, damaging homes, livestock and agricultural assets, which are vital resources for food security.
“Additionally, since January 2024, cross-border returns have surged, with over 1.1 million Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan – 243,000 from Pakistan and 825,000 from Iran – adding further strain on limited resources,” the report read.
UNOCHA stated that the critical funding gap of $2.09 billion includes an urgent $1.09 billion shortfall in healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and shelter sectors.
As a result of this shortfall, 3.7 million people have been left without access to primary and secondary healthcare services, while hundreds of thousands of children and pregnant women are missing essential nutritional support.
Emergency shelter and sanitation resources are also lacking, leaving thousands affected by floods and earthquakes without long-term housing solutions, the report read.
In addition, food assistance has been scaled back, excluding entire districts from critical support and increasing the risk of malnutrition.
UNOCHA in turn appealed to donors to provide timely and consistent funding to sustain humanitarian operations and ensure aid reaches those in greatest need.
“Increased international engagement with Afghan authorities could also facilitate access and support the effective delivery of assistance,” the report read, adding that “without prompt action to address the critical funding gap, Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis will deepen, leaving millions in precarious and increasingly vulnerable conditions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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Around 2.3 million tourists visited Afghanistan’s recreational areas during Eid: Ghufran
Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, announced on Tuesday that over Eid al-Fitr holidays approximately 2.3 million domestic and foreign tourists visited the country’s recreational areas and natural attractions.
Ghufran said this level of tourist presence shows a significant increase compared to previous years and indicates growth and strengthening of the tourism sector.
Meanwhile, officials from the ministry’s departments, while emphasizing public cooperation in preserving the environment, maintaining cleanliness in public places, and protecting tourist attractions, stated that through extensive cooperation and efforts by security institutions, tourists were able to travel to different parts of the country with full confidence during the Eid holidays.
According to Ghufran, the Ministry of Information and Culture is working to develop and strengthen the tourism sector across the country and to provide more facilities and conveniences for tourists.
However, some tourists who traveled to various provinces praised the order, security, and hospitality of the people. They said that all provinces of Afghanistan have always been beautiful, but this year, with the current level of security and tourism facilities, their trips have become even more memorable.
Islamic Emirate releases American prisoner Dennis Coyle
UK announces additional £3 million in aid for vulnerable people in Afghanistan
Around 2.3 million tourists visited Afghanistan’s recreational areas during Eid: Ghufran
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