More than 17 million people in Afghanistan are expected to face crisis levels of hunger during the coming winter months, according to a new warning from the United Nations and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the leading global authority on hunger crises.

The IPC reported that worsening economic conditions, recurrent drought, shrinking international aid and the return of large numbers of Afghans from neighboring Iran and Pakistan have placed severe pressure on the country’s food security. The situation marks a sharp deterioration compared with last year.

“What the IPC tells us is that more than 17 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute food insecurity. That is three million more than last year,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, Director of Food Security at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), speaking to reporters in Geneva. Bauer added that nearly four million children are suffering from acute malnutrition.

“About one million of them are severely acutely malnourished and require hospital treatment,” he said.

The IPC report said food assistance currently reaches only 2.7 percent of Afghanistan’s population, a figure further undermined by high unemployment, a weak economy and declining remittances from Afghans living abroad.

According to the assessment, more than one-third of the population is projected to experience crisis-level food insecurity between now and March 2026, with as many as 4.7 million people at risk of falling into emergency levels of hunger.

The humanitarian situation has been compounded by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck eastern Kunar province in September, killing more than 2,200 people and prompting aid agencies to appeal for increased international support.

The European Union has pledged €1 million in humanitarian funding along with 130 tonnes of in-kind assistance, while the United Kingdom announced £1 million in additional aid.

However, aid agencies say overall funding remains critically low. International humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan has dropped sharply since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) returned to power in 2021.

By September, only 28 percent of the 2025 humanitarian funding target had been met. The United States, once the largest donor, significantly reduced its support earlier this year.

With winter approaching and resources stretched thin, UN agencies warn that without urgent funding and expanded food assistance, millions of Afghans face an increasingly severe humanitarian crisis.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced on Tuesday that a high-level delegation from Kyrgyzstan has arrived in Kabul.

According to the ministry’s statement, the purpose of the delegation’s visit is to expand economic cooperation and increase trade and investment between Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.

The statement added that during the visit, the Kyrgyz delegation will meet with officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and participate in the Trade Communication Conference as well as bilateral meetings.

The delegation will also visit industrial facilities and various enterprises operating in Afghanistan.

Russia has urged the international community to adopt a comprehensive and non-politicized approach toward Afghanistan, emphasizing dialogue, regional cooperation, and practical support to stabilize the country and prevent further security deterioration.

Speaking at a recent UN Security Council meeting, Russia’s Permanent Representative, Vassily Nebenzia, said that contrary to Western predictions following the withdrawal of foreign troops, Afghanistan did not collapse. He argued that despite ongoing sanctions, Afghan authorities are making efforts to address long-standing challenges and pursue regional cooperation aimed at building a self-reliant state, though he acknowledged the process would take time and require international support.

Nebenzia said Russia continues to back the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and supports initiatives such as the Doha Process, which promotes engagement with the Islamic Emirate and Afghanistan’s gradual reintegration into global affairs. He stressed that constructive dialogue with the Afghan authorities is essential and warned against what he described as pressure, ultimatums, or sanctions-driven approaches, saying these could harden positions and undermine UN efforts on the ground.

The Russian envoy said regional players, including members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), share the view that engagement is the only viable path forward.

He also called for progress on unfreezing Afghan assets and expanding development assistance, warning that failure to do so could lead to a further drawdown of the UN presence in the country.

On security, Nebenzia expressed concern about ongoing terrorist threats, particularly from Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), also known as Daesh, noting that the group continues to receive external funding and recruit foreign fighters, including individuals with combat experience from Syria and Iraq.

He also raised alarm over uncertainty surrounding weapons left behind by NATO forces and warned of the growing production of synthetic drugs, which he said is closely linked to terrorism.

Nebenzia said Russia supports dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan amid rising tensions linked to militant activity, urging both sides to expand cooperation, especially on counterterrorism.

He also highlighted the worsening socio-economic situation in Afghanistan and praised humanitarian agencies for continuing their work despite funding cuts. Russia, he said, remains engaged in providing assistance and expanding cooperation with Afghanistan in political, security, and economic fields.

The Russian envoy reiterated Moscow’s support for the rights of all Afghans and the formation of an inclusive government, calling for respect for fundamental freedoms, including access to education and employment, without discrimination.

Nebenzia concluded by urging the UN to engage with Afghanistan’s “real authorities” to help resolve the country’s challenges and support its reintegration into the international community.