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Attacks on healthcare sector a matter of grave concern: UN Report

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Last Updated on: June 22, 2020

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Sunday issued a report stating it was gravely concerned by recent deliberate attacks on healthcare personnel and facilities, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new special report, released by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), details findings of its monitoring of all incidents of the armed conflict affecting healthcare from 11 March, the date the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a global pandemic, to 23 May, the start of a three-day ceasefire between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

The report titled “Attacks on Healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic,” documents the harm to healthcare workers, damage to healthcare facilities and other ways in which parties to the conflict have “interfered” with necessary healthcare, both as a result of targeted attacks as well as from ongoing fighting, a statement issued Sunday by UNAMA read.

 

According to UNAMA, they had already raised concerns about such incidents in their report for the first quarter of 2020.

“Since then, the situation deteriorated: the Taliban continued abducting healthcare workers and attacked a pharmacy; the Afghan national security forces carried out deliberate acts of violence and intimidation affecting a healthcare facility, workers and the delivery of medical supplies; and unknown gunmen perpetrated an attack on a maternity ward in a hospital in Kabul, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties,” the statement read.

Deborah Lyons, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, meanwhile said: “At a time when an urgent humanitarian response was required to protect every life in Afghanistan, both the Taliban and Afghan national security forces carried out deliberate acts of violence that undermined healthcare operations.”

“There is no excuse for such actions; the safety and well-being of the civilian population must be a priority,” she said.

The report documents 15 incidents affecting healthcare provision, where 12 were deliberate attacks, and the remaining incidents involved incidental harm.

UNAMA said most of these healthcare-related incidents – eight of the targeted attacks and two of the incidents with incidental harm – were attributed to the Taliban but added Afghan national security forces were responsible for three targeted attacks against healthcare.

“One instance of incidental harm to healthcare occurred in the context of clashes between Afghan national security forces and the Taliban. The most abhorrent attack, on a maternity ward in a Kabul hospital, remains unattributed,” the statement read.

The report emphasized that deliberate acts of violence against healthcare facilities, including hospitals and related personnel, are prohibited under international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes.

“Perpetrating targeted attacks on healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when health resources are already stretched and of critical importance to the civilian population, is particularly reprehensible,” said Fiona Frazer, UNAMA Chief of Human Rights.

The report also stated that the harm caused by attacks on healthcare, particularly during a health pandemic, extends well beyond the direct victims of those incidents and stressed that even with ongoing conflict, the people of Afghanistan have the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health under international human rights law.

The UN stated that it condemns all deliberate attacks, threats, abductions, and other intentional acts against healthcare facilities and personnel, as outlined in the report.

“In a situation in which the entire population in Afghanistan is at risk from COVID-19, there can be no greater priority than ensuring that health services can continue to operate without interference, interruption, and with sufficient resources,” the organization stated.

The UN also reiterated calls to all parties to heed the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire so all attention and resources can be directed toward fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent further harm being caused to the people of Afghanistan.

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Mass returns overwhelm Afghanistan’s aid capacity, NRC warns

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The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has issued an urgent warning over the intensifying humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, stating that the return of more than 1.4 million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan is pushing local support systems beyond breaking point.

Citing UNHCR, the NRC said daily returns from Iran surged dramatically following June 13, peaking on July 1 when over 43,000 returnees were registered in a single day. The spike in returns is overwhelming already fragile infrastructure and underfunded aid operations in border provinces such as Herat and Nangarhar.

“We are seeing families arrive exhausted and distressed to a country that has very limited capacity to support and reintegrate them. We are doing everything we can, but the scale of needs is exceeding the current resources,” said Jacopo Caridi, NRC’s Country Director in Afghanistan.

“Local communities have shown remarkable solidarity. Many of our staff are hosting returnee families in their homes. The authorities are doing their best to mobilize the few resources they have, but the local systems are not equipped to cope with such tremendous needs.”

Returnees, many of whom were born and raised in Iran or Pakistan, are often arriving with no possessions, no legal documents, and limited access to basic services. Immediate needs include food, shelter, clean water, healthcare, and access to education. Aid organizations report that many families are forced to sleep in the open or overcrowded temporary shelters, while local clinics are struggling to meet demand.

The NRC warned that if the current rate of return continues, the number of returnees could exceed three million by the end of 2025, significantly escalating humanitarian pressure in a country where two-thirds of the population already depend on aid. The organization called for a halt to involuntary returns, arguing that conditions in Afghanistan do not meet minimum international standards for safety or sustainability.

Caridi emphasized that the burden cannot fall solely on Afghanistan’s overstretched authorities and aid groups, urging the international community to step up. “The international community must not turn its back on Afghan civilians,” he said. “Both returnees and host communities urgently need support to prevent further suffering and instability.”

The NRC’s call echoes similar warnings from other humanitarian agencies. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies recently projected that an additional one million Afghans could be returned by the end of the year. However, the organization’s emergency appeal for $31 million has received less than 10 percent of the required funding.

The Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has acknowledged the scale of the crisis, but says it lacks the capacity to respond without external support. Despite limited resources, local authorities have coordinated with NGOs to establish temporary reception facilities near key border crossings, but these remain under-resourced.

The situation has been further complicated by the broader humanitarian crisis gripping Afghanistan. Since the return of the Islamic Emirate in August 2021, international aid has dropped significantly, while economic sanctions and reduced development assistance have severely impacted the country’s economy.

NRC has reiterated its call for increased international burden-sharing, including greater support for Iran and Pakistan, which have hosted Afghan refugees for decades. Without a coordinated and adequately funded response, humanitarian groups warn that the crisis will deepen, threatening not only returnees but also the stability of host communities and the country at large.

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Afghan envoy pushes for IEA recognition during talks with Kazakh official

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The Afghan Embassy in Kazakhstan has confirmed that Mohammad-ur-Rahman, the acting ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in Astana, has held talks with Yerkin Tokumov, Kazakhstan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and seek formal diplomatic recognition.

According to a statement issued by the embassy, the two officials discussed ways to enhance political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two countries. The Islamic Emirate’s envoy expressed optimism that Kazakhstan may follow Russia’s recent move to recognize the current Afghan government, and reiterated Kabul’s interest in developing broader regional ties.

During the meeting, Mohammad-ur-Rahman briefed the Kazakh official on the Islamic Emirate’s foreign policy priorities, current investment opportunities, and domestic issues, including the situation of Afghan refugees, the impact of recent floods, and employment-related challenges.

He also welcomed Russia’s decision to recognize the Islamic Emirate and encouraged Kazakhstan to take similar steps.

In response, Tokumov affirmed Kazakhstan’s continued interest in expanding bilateral engagement, stating that Astana remains committed to cooperating with Afghanistan in political, economic, and cultural fields.

The Islamic Emirate has been actively seeking diplomatic legitimacy and deeper regional ties since returning to power in August 2021.

While most countries have maintained informal or limited engagement, recent developments — including Russia’s announcement of official recognition — have added momentum to the IEA-led government’s push for broader international acceptance.

Kazakhstan has maintained relatively warm relations with Kabul under the current administration, sustaining humanitarian aid deliveries, economic collaboration, and dialogue through regional platforms, although it has not formally recognized the Islamic Emirate.

 

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EU Lawmaker condemns Iran’s mass deportation of Afghans as illegal under international law

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European Parliament member Hannah Neumann has strongly condemned Iran’s ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees, describing the mass expulsions as a violation of international law and a humanitarian crisis unfolding at scale.

In a statement shared on social media, Neumann referred to the deportations as a “collective expulsion” carried out “by force, scale, and terror,” and called on the international community to respond urgently.

According to official estimates, more than 700,000 Afghans have been deported from Iran so far in 2025 — over 600,000 since June alone. Many have been transported to the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat Province, where witnesses describe scenes of extreme distress.

“This isn’t migration,” Neumann wrote. “It’s expulsion by force, scale, and terror. Many of these people were born in Iran. Some have never even seen Afghanistan before.”

The German MEP accused Iranian authorities of breaching international obligations by denying deportees access to due process, including asylum procedures and legal review.

Iran, a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, is prohibited under international law from conducting collective expulsions.

Neumann also directed criticism at European policymakers, particularly the European Commission, for what she called a failed strategy of “regional containment” that left vulnerable Afghans unprotected.

“People with valid visas, degrees, and even children — dragged from homes, dumped at the border, their documents torn up,” she said. “And Europe? Commission? Said back then: they’ll be safe in Iran. Said back then: Afghans should seek protection regionally. Well, going spectacularly, isn’t it?” Neumann wrote.

In response, Neumann called for immediate international measures, including the issuance of emergency humanitarian visas for Afghans at risk, the creation of safe and legal pathways out of Iran, and increased funding for humanitarian agencies such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Human rights organizations and aid groups have echoed the concerns, warning that the mass deportations are placing overwhelming pressure on border areas in Afghanistan and further destabilizing an already fragile humanitarian situation.

 

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