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Intense fighting a serious challenge for patients, MSF staff in Helmand

Published

5 years ago

August 3, 2021

Médecins Sans Frontières reported Tuesday that while fighting has been intense since May in Helmand province, clashes between the Afghan security forces and the Taliban have intensified in recent weeks and spread to more urban areas such as the provincial capital of Lashkargah city.

“There has been relentless gunfire, airstrikes and mortars in densely populated areas. Houses are being bombed, and many people are suffering severe injuries,” says Sarah Leahy, coordinator of the MSF Helmand project.

“Fighting within the city makes it harder for us to respond; our staff are part of the community and they, like many people, are afraid to leave their homes. It’s just far too dangerous and life is at a standstill,” says Leahy.

“Some of our colleagues are staying overnight in the hospital as it’s safer, but also so they can keep on treating patients. The situation has been dire for months but now it is even worse.”

Despite the challenges, the MSF-supported Boost hospital remains operational and has seen a marked increase in trauma needs over the past week.

“In just one day we performed 10 surgeries on people injured by violence, which is unheard of for us as we are not Lashkargah’s main provider of trauma care,” says Leahy. “Before last week we were operating on average on two war-wounded people per day.”

The main trauma centre in the city is run by another organisation, and is also under immense pressure; the people they cannot admit are sent to MSF for care, the statement read.

Between 29 and 31 July alone, MSF treated 70 war-wounded patients. In total from 3 May until 31 July, we have treated 482 war-wounded people, nearly all (92 per cent) for injuries caused by shells and bullets, and around a quarter (26 per cent) aged under 18. The patients seen by MSF are just a fraction of the total number injured by the violence, the organization reported.

MSF also said the conflict is stopping people from seeking medical attention when ill.

“The conflict leads people to think 10 times about whether they really want to make the journey. They delay until they can’t wait anymore, when their relatives haven’t opened their eyes for two or three days, have shallow breathing and are unresponsive. From a medical perspective, that’s almost too late.”

Even amongst MSF staff, the impact of the fighting is clearly visible. “Healthcare staff are exhausted. The work itself, seeing all these patients, is hugely difficult. And then on top of that, people have to deal a lot with outside pressures and worries,” says an MSF doctor.

Our teams continue to provide much-needed healthcare in Boost hospital, while continuing to run projects in four other locations around the country; Herat, Kandahar, Khost and Kunduz.

Related Topics:Afghanistan clashes featured Helmand Kandahar MSF patients Taliban

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UNAMA calls for greater transparency and accountability in Afghanistan’s security institutions

The report also says fear of reprisals, a lack of trust in authorities and barriers to accessing institutions discourage people from reporting alleged misconduct.

Published

7 hours ago

August 10, 2026

Ariana News

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to strengthen transparency, oversight and accountability within the country’s security institutions.

In a new 38-page report, UNAMA examines measures taken by the IEA since August 2021 to oversee security institutions and address misconduct by security personnel.

The report says the authorities have taken some steps to promote discipline and oversight, including issuing directives, establishing internal monitoring units and creating new bodies tasked with addressing misconduct by security personnel.

However, UNAMA says these measures have not been accompanied by sufficient public information about complaints, investigations and disciplinary or judicial actions.

The report identifies several bodies responsible for oversight, including the Security and Filtration Commission, the High Directorate of Supervision and Monitoring of Decrees and Edicts, the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Commission for Hearing Complaints, and the Supreme Court.

“The limited amount of public information on complaints received, investigations conducted, and disciplinary or judicial actions taken by relevant de facto bodies undermine confidence and weaken deterrence,” said Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge.

UNAMA documented cases in which IEA authorities arrested and investigated security personnel accused of misconduct and referred some cases to military courts. However, the mission said many complaints reportedly remain unresolved.

The report also says fear of reprisals, a lack of trust in authorities and barriers to accessing institutions discourage people from reporting alleged misconduct. Women, in particular, face additional obstacles because of restrictions affecting their daily lives, UNAMA said.

UNAMA has recommended that the IEA authorities establish and consistently enforce clear rules and codes of conduct for security personnel, in line with international standards. It also called for clearer regulations governing the use of force, arrests, detention, searches and crowd control.

The UN mission further urged the authorities to establish safe, accessible and inclusive complaint mechanisms that allow people to report misconduct without fear of retaliation or discrimination, while protecting victims, witnesses and whistleblowers.

UNAMA also called for regular public reporting on complaints, investigations and disciplinary or judicial measures, as well as stronger systems for collecting and maintaining data on misconduct.

According to the report, greater transparency and consistent accountability could improve professionalism, strengthen public trust in security institutions and contribute to better governance, respect for human rights and Afghanistan’s engagement with the international community.

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MoU on TAPI gas purchase signed between Afghan Gas and Türkmengaz

Published

9 hours ago

August 10, 2026

Ariana News

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs has announced that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the purchase of gas under the TAPI project was signed on Monday in Torghundi, Herat province, between the state-owned Afghan Gas Company and

Turkmenistan’s Türkmengaz Company, in the presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the National Leader of Turkmenistan.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the MoU will determine the price of gas, the required volume of gas, and the gas distribution process.

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Baradar discusses TAPI progress with Turkmenistan’s national leader

Published

10 hours ago

August 10, 2026

Ariana News

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, during his visit to Herat province, met with Turkmenistan’s National Leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, in Torghundi on Monday to discuss the latest progress on the TAPI project and future economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

According to a statement from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Baradar said during the meeting that work on the TAPI project in Herat is progressing well and that the remaining work is expected to be completed within the scheduled timeframe.

Baradar urged the Turkmen side to reach an agreement on the price of gas and called for the gas pricing formula to be adjusted in a way that would prevent sharp fluctuations in European markets from affecting gas prices.

He also proposed that the gas agreement be concluded for a long-term period, with simple terms and a flexible mechanism for reviewing the contract.

Baradar called for Turkmenistan’s cooperation in constructing a gas distribution and consumption network in Herat, establishing a joint technical and legal commission to address the remaining issues related to the TAPI project, and making joint efforts to create more job opportunities for Afghans through the project.

He said the TAPI project has strengthened strategic cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and stressed the need for the two sides to work together to expand trade by reopening the Aqina border crossing for oil transit, facilitating Afghan transit goods at the Turkmenbashi port, resolving existing obstacles to the reactivation of the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, and rebuilding and expanding the Herat–Torghundi railway.

Baradar also called on Turkmenistan to support major economic projects in Afghanistan in the electricity and transport sectors.

During the meeting, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said relations between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have been strengthened on the basis of goodwill and good-neighborly relations, creating opportunities for cooperation in various fields.

Berd Berdimuhamedov added that Turkmenistan is ready to cooperate not only on extending the TAPI pipeline to Herat, but also on constructing a gas distribution network in the province and launching practical work on the TAP project. He said a number of foreign companies have expressed readiness to invest in the TAP project.

He further said Ashgabat is ready to provide all necessary facilities at Turkmenbashi port for Afghan transit and commercial goods.

He also stressed the need for joint efforts to reactivate the Lapis Lazuli Corridor to boost trade between the two countries and the wider region.

He assured the Afghan side that work on projects already launched in Afghanistan’s electricity and railway sectors would be completed on schedule and at an accelerated pace.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides agreed to establish a technical committee led by senior officials to follow up on and implement the TAPI, TAP, fiber-optic and railway projects and ensure that work on these projects progresses more effectively.