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Foreign troops footprint leaves behind health and environmental issues
An investigative report has found that there has been a considerable increase in medical problems among communities that lived close to US military bases during Afghanistan’s 20-year war.
According to New Lines magazine, a marked increase in people suffering from skin, heart and digestive diseases have been observed among those living in close proximity to the former bases. In addition to this, the magazine found that the war had a devastating effect on people’s land.
“American forces have not paid attention to the devastating consequences of using bombs, harmful weapons, spreading chemical substances caused by throwing bombs and burning garbage on people’s health, especially around their military bases in Nangarhar, Kandahar and Parwan provinces,” the report said.
A number of residents of these provinces told New Lines that two years after the withdrawal of troops, they still suffer from skin, cardiovascular and digestive diseases. They have also said that their land yields far less crops than in the past.
According to the report, the US military dropped more than 85,000 bombs in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021, most of which contained an explosive called “RDX”.
This substance has an adverse effect on the nervous system of humans. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has called this substance carcinogenic.
“The Taliban (IEA) government should start an investigation in this regard and, if possible, ask for help from international institutions in this matter; if this issue is confirmed, they should demand compensation from the United States of America,” said Asadullah Nadim, a military analyst.
In April 2017, US military dropped the most powerful conventional bomb ever used in combat — the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, known unofficially as the “mother of all bombs,” or MOAB.
In addition, New Lines estimated that when more than 100,000 NATO and US forces were present in Afghanistan, they produced more than 400,000 kilograms of garbage per day, most of which was burned without any pollution control.
However, the Islamic Emirate says the 20-year military presence of the US and its allies in Afghanistan has caused problems to the people, and the IEA will request compensation at an appropriate time.
“Afghanistan has been the same in every occupation, they have been victims, their people’s rights have been lost and they have been oppressed, they have been killed, injured and suffered various hardships; they were forced to migrate. The American occupation also had these problems, these problems must be compensated, we will definitely raise this at the right time, Inshallah,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the IEA.
The Islamic Emirate’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has held talks with Bjørn Johansen, Norway’s newly appointed Special Representative for Afghanistan, focusing on political and regional developments.
In the meeting, Johansen said Norway maintains historic ties with Afghanistan and has consistently sought to play a constructive role in supporting stability in the country, Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
He noted what he described as noticeable progress in Afghanistan in areas including security, counter-narcotics efforts, and other sectors, adding that further cooperation should be expanded through the normalization of relations with the international community.
Muttaqi, welcomed Norway’s continued engagement and cooperation with the Islamic Emirate, saying that the current stability in Afghanistan should be utilized effectively. He also emphasized that progress made by the Afghan authorities could help broaden future cooperation.
The Government of Slovenia has contributed €200,000 to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to support humanitarian work in Afghanistan, focusing on reproductive health and protection services for women and girls.
According to UNFPA, the funding will help expand access to essential maternal and reproductive health care across the country, particularly in areas where services remain limited and humanitarian needs are high.
UNFPA said the support will be used to reach vulnerable women and girls with life-saving health assistance and protection services as part of its ongoing response in Afghanistan.
The contribution comes as international aid agencies continue efforts to sustain basic health services amid ongoing economic and humanitarian challenges in the country.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has rejected recent accusations by Pakistani officials claiming that attacks inside Pakistan were planned from Afghan territory, describing the allegations as “baseless.”
Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, said Afghanistan believes regional issues should be addressed through dialogue, mutual respect, and genuine cooperation rather than accusations, emotional rhetoric, or threats.
He reaffirmed that Afghan territory would not be used against any country and stressed that no group or individual would be allowed to carry out activities that threaten regional peace and stability.
The remarks came after Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry reportedly summoned Afghanistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad on Monday and handed over a formal protest note regarding an attack on a police post in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistani authorities alleged that the attack had been planned from inside Afghanistan.
According to reports, the explosion occurred on Saturday evening in the Fathkhel area of Bannu, killing 15 police officers and injuring four others, including one civilian.
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