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UNICEF says over 90% of Herat earthquake victims are women and children
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that more than 90 percent of the victims of this week’s earthquakes in Herat province are women and children.
Aid organizations have said the high casualty toll of women and girls was because of the timing of the first major quake, which happened at 11:11 am on Saturday morning. At that time of the day most village men are out of the house, while women and girls are at home.
In a post on X, on Wednesday, UNICEF also appealed for immediate funding of $20 million to help survivors.
This comes after two 6.3 magnitude quakes on Saturday, followed by a string of strong aftershocks and another 6.3 earthquake Wednesday that was epicentered in Herat but also felt in Farah and Badghis provinces.
Relief operations in Herat continue, while rescue workers continue to look for bodies. On Wednesday, aid organizations said there were over 400 people still missing after Saturday’s disaster.
The United Nations says aid has arrived in the worst-hit areas but that it is not enough.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary General, said: “I can say that some aid has been distributed, but it is not enough. If you are affected anywhere, no aid can arrive quickly and the current situation of aid delivery is challenging. We have international staff and “they are currently evaluating what they can get from other countries. We currently do not have enough funds and we need help.”
Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic church, has also appealed to the foreign community to help the earthquake victims.
He said: “I invite all people of good will to help the people of Afghanistan who have suffered after the devastating earthquake.”
The UN has meanwhile said that Wednesday’s earthquake also caused major damage to more than 110 villages. Gulran and Injil districts were impacted. In total, an estimated 17,000 people have been impacted by the earthquakes, leaving thousands of people homeless.
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Human Rights Watch calls Pakistani airstrike on Kabul rehab center ‘unlawful’
Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence suggests the strike hit a well-known civilian medical facility.
Human Rights Watch has condemned a recent Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation facility in Kabul, calling it “unlawful” and warning it could amount to a war crime.
The strike, which reportedly took place on March 16, targeted the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Center, located within the former Camp Phoenix complex in eastern Kabul. According to international agencies, at least 143 people were killed and more than 250 others injured, most of them patients undergoing treatment.
Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said available evidence suggests the strike hit a well-known civilian medical facility.
“The available evidence indicates that the Pakistani airstrike against a well-known Kabul medical facility killing dozens of patients was unlawful,” she said, adding that authorities must determine why the site was targeted and who should be held accountable.
An employee of the center told the organization that three buildings were struck, including a dining hall, a residential building housing hundreds of patients, and a guard post. At the time of the attack, more than 1,000 patients were reportedly at the facility, many gathered to break their fast during Ramadan.
Human Rights Watch said satellite imagery and visual evidence show extensive destruction across the compound, with multiple structures either destroyed or severely damaged. The organization added that it found no indication the facility was being used for military purposes.
Under international humanitarian law, medical facilities are afforded special protection. The group stressed that attacks failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets, or those causing disproportionate civilian harm, may constitute serious violations of the laws of war.
Human Rights Watch has called on Pakistan to carry out a prompt, impartial investigation and ensure accountability if violations are confirmed.
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Torkham crossing closes again hours after brief reopening
Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan.
The key border crossing at Torkham crossing has once again been shut down, just hours after it was temporarily reopened, according to local officials in Nangarhar province.
Sediqullah Quraishi, head of information at the provincial Department of Information and Culture, said that on Thursday the Pakistani side allowed the crossing to open briefly to Afghan migrants. However, the crossing was closed again shortly afterward, leaving many travelers stranded.
Officials say the reason for the sudden closure has not been clearly communicated by authorities in Pakistan.
The Torkham crossing serves as one of the most important transit points between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its repeated closures have caused significant disruption, particularly for migrants, traders, and families who rely on cross-border movement.
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Turkey invites IEA’s commerce minister to Antalya Diplomacy Forum
Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met on Thursday with Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul. During the meeting, Ayyıldız invited the Minister of Industry and Commerce to participate in Turkey’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry, the meeting also emphasized the economic, trade, and historical relations between Kabul and Ankara, as well as the export of Afghan goods to Turkey.
The two sides discussed increasing trade volume between the two countries, strengthening economic relations, facilitating and enhancing commercial activities, cooperation in road transport along various routes, activating the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, and regional cooperation.
Azizi, while thanking Turkey for inviting the Islamic Emirate to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, introduced the Ministry’s technical team to ensure better coordination and planning.
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is an international conference held annually in Turkey, aimed at examining global challenges and finding joint solutions through dialogue and diplomacy. It hosts representatives from more than 100 countries, including presidents, leaders, high-ranking officials, international organizations, analysts, and media from various countries.
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