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With little aid, Afghanistan’s quakes spell ‘inter-generational’ crisis

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Earthquakes that flattened villages in eastern Afghanistan on August 31, destroyed homes and livestock, the only assets owned by most families, and left survivors with almost nothing to rebuild as aid runs thin, Reuters reported on Thursday.

At least 2,200 people were killed and more than half a million affected when a powerful earthquake struck the region on the night of August 31 followed by a series of strong aftershocks. The quakes have left tens of thousands of people homeless, with some fearing further landslides.

Abdul Ghafar, 52, has been living with his family of 10 under a tarpaulin in Bamba Kot, a village in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province, since the quakes struck. The walls of his stone house are cracked, ceilings have collapsed and rubble covers the floor, forcing the family to sleep outside.

“We only need one tent,” he said, adding that officials refused to register his damaged house as uninhabitable.

For many families in rural Afghanistan, homes, land and livestock are all they can call their own.

“In Afghanistan, households store wealth in homes, land and livestock, so when earthquakes destroy these assets, entire balance sheets collapse overnight,” said Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh who specialises in governance in fragile states.

Stephen Rodriques, UNDP’s Resident Representative in Afghanistan, said more than 1.3 million animals were affected in the worst-hit Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, with grain stores and irrigation systems destroyed, threatening food supplies and the next planting season.

More than 7,000 livestock were killed and seven irrigation systems destroyed, with others damaged, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.

“When those inputs vanish, you see less production, higher food prices and long-term harm to nutrition and health, especially for the poorest households,” said Ilan Noy, chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change at Victoria University in Wellington.

“Without financing, the recovery will take much longer, and will create long-term cascades of consequences from this event that can continue for a very long time, possibly inter-generationally,” he said.

Looming winter raises further concerns

IEA authorities say more than 6,700 homes were destroyed and that families remain in tents as aftershocks persist.

Thomas Barfield, author and president of the American Institute of Afghanistan Studies, said the coming winter would worsen the crisis and that decades of war and migration mean fewer relatives remain to help rebuild.

The quakes add gloom to an economy battered by sanctions, frozen assets and aid cuts since the IEA takeover in 2021, while over 2 million deportations from Pakistan and Iran this year have further strained food and housing.

“Construction was a huge employer that disappeared after the Taliban (IEA) takeover, the NGO sector is shrinking with aid cuts, and even the public sector is under strain,” said Ibraheem Bahiss of the International Crisis Group.

“Every year brings droughts and floods, and now earthquakes on top of that, compounding the tragedy Afghans face.”

The United Nations has appealed for $140 million in aid, but pledges lag as donors focus on Gaza and Ukraine and resist funding the IEA because of its curbs on women aid workers.

Some aid has trickled in following the earthquake, from tents to food supplies, but it is not nearly enough, analysts said.

“Emergency aid is a wet towel in a forest fire, it won’t bridge the gap,” said Obaidullah Baheer, an adjunct lecturer at a university in Kabul. He warned that aid flows have already dropped steeply in a country reliant on them for two decades, and that “the real impact will only start to show next year.”

 

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Security Sources: Pakistani military shelling in Kunar and Nuristan leaves female doctor dead

The sources said the vehicle was struck by gunfire and subsequently fell into the Kunar River.

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Security sources report that several security incidents in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nuristan have resulted in the death of a female doctor, injuries to others, and several people reported missing.

According to the sources, early Thursday morning at around 9:30 a.m., Pakistani military forces opened fire on a Toyota vehicle in the Dokalam Baghcha area of Nari district in Kunar province.

The sources said the vehicle was struck by gunfire and subsequently fell into the Kunar River. As a result of the incident, a female doctor was killed and another person was injured. Five other individuals who were reportedly in the vehicle remain missing, the sources added.

In a separate incident, security sources stated that around 11:00 a.m. in the Seno area of Shultan district, Kunar province, Pakistani forces carried out artillery shelling that left one person injured. The injured individual was transferred to the provincial hospital for medical treatment.

Meanwhile, security sources in Nuristan say that despite Pakistan’s announced ceasefire, the main road between Kamdesh and Barg-e-Matal districts has been completely closed to traffic since Thursday morning.

According to the sources, the closure of the route has caused serious difficulties for local residents, preventing any movement in the area. The sources also claim that Pakistani military posts are located within close proximity of the road and have opened fire on people attempting to pass through the area.

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UN Secretary-General condemns Pakistani airstrike on Kabul rehab center

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressing the importance of diplomacy to resolve conflicts.

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The United Nations Secretary-General has strongly condemned a Pakistani airstrike on a rehabilitation center for addicts in Kabul and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

The attack, which occurred on March 16, reportedly left over 600 people killed or injured, according to local sources.

In an official statement, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, emphasized that under international humanitarian law, patients, medical staff, and healthcare facilities, including hospitals, must be respected and protected at all times.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated: “The Secretary-General strongly condemns the airstrike in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on March 16, which reportedly resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians at a medical facility.”

Haq added that Guterres has called for an independent and impartial investigation into the incident, while offering his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.

The Secretary-General reiterated the urgent need to reduce tensions and immediately halt hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, emphasizing that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and peaceful solutions in accordance with the UN Charter.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressing the importance of diplomacy to resolve conflicts.

This development comes after Afghanistan and Pakistan announced a temporary cessation of hostilities ahead of Eid al-Fitr, a move that regional officials hope will pave the way for a lasting ceasefire and ensure the protection of civilians in both countries.

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IEA Supreme Leader: Afghanistan’s victory lies in faith and National unity

Akhundzada also called on citizens to support the Islamic Emirate, stating that those serving in the current system are the sons of the same nation and people.

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Eid al-Fitr prayers were held on Thursday at the Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar, led by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, with a large number of residents attending the ceremony.

During his sermon, Akhundzada said that if the people of Afghanistan were meant to be destroyed by bombardments and military attacks, it would have happened during the wars with the Soviet Union and the United States.

According to the Islamic Emirate leader, the key to Afghanistan’s victory and resilience lies in reliance on Islam, preservation of religious beliefs, and unity among the people. He stressed that by adhering to Islamic values, no country would be able to harm Afghanistan.

Akhundzada also called on citizens to support the Islamic Emirate, stating that those serving in the current system are the sons of the same nation and people.

At the same time, he urged government officials to ensure justice in their duties, warning that no system can survive through oppression. He added that the implementation of decrees and laws is necessary to reform society and maintain order in the country.

The Islamic Emirate leader further said that without Islam, Afghanistan could have remained under the control of the United States and NATO, but now, according to him, the country stands as an independent and free nation.

In the economic section of his remarks, Akhundzada called on traders to avoid hoarding goods and instead assist fellow Muslims in difficult times. He warned that individuals found hoarding commodities for up to 40 days would face legal consequences.

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