The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that 15.9 million people in Afghanistan are expected to face crisis-level food insecurity or worse as winter approaches, raising concerns over the country’s worsening humanitarian situation.

In a statement posted on X, OCHA said that despite food being available in markets across Afghanistan, millions of people cannot afford to purchase it due to widespread poverty, economic hardship and limited household incomes.

The agency said nearly one in three Afghans is facing severe hunger, warning that food insecurity could worsen further during the coming winter months.

OCHA also raised concerns over child malnutrition, saying more than four million children aged between six months and five years could require treatment for malnutrition in 2027.

The UN agency stressed that humanitarian assistance remains critical to saving lives, but said addressing the crisis requires longer-term investment in livelihoods, essential services and economic opportunities.

OCHA called for urgent international support ahead of winter to help vulnerable families meet their basic needs and prevent further deterioration in food security.

The agency emphasized that combining immediate humanitarian assistance with sustained investment in communities’ resilience is essential to addressing Afghanistan’s ongoing hunger crisis and reducing the impact of future economic and humanitarian shocks.

Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, has met with Rabab Fatima, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and newly appointed head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), to discuss the challenges facing returning Afghan refugees and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, the meeting focused on providing humanitarian support to vulnerable Afghans, ensuring permanent shelter, creating employment opportunities and facilitating the social reintegration of returnees.

Fatima reportedly assured the Afghan authorities that the United Nations would continue cooperation with them and support efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, sustainable housing and livelihood opportunities for returning refugees.

She also highlighted mobilizing humanitarian aid, expanding international engagement with Afghanistan and addressing human rights concerns as key priorities.

Abdul Kabir, meanwhile, said the Afghan government seeks positive relations with the international community based on the principles of Islamic Sharia, calling on other countries to respect Afghanistan’s Islamic system and territorial integrity.

He also said security had been established across the country and development projects were underway.

The minister further urged the United Nations to help provide essential services in settlements established for returning Afghan refugees.

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Afghanistan’s Ministry of Guidance, Hajj and Religious Affairs has announced that registration for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage will run from November 1 to November 8.

In a statement, the ministry said prospective pilgrims in Kabul and other provinces can register by visiting their respective provincial or central departments of Guidance, Hajj and Religious Affairs.

Applicants are required to submit the original and a copy of their national identity cards (Tazkira), along with two recent passport-sized photographs.

The ministry said that after registration is completed and the lottery results are announced, selected pilgrims will have 15 days to pay the required Hajj fees.

The first installment has been set at 150,000 Afghanis, while details of the second installment will be announced later.

The ministry urged all interested applicants to complete the registration process within the designated period and ensure that they submit all required documents.