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World Bank approves $97 million grant to increase food security
The World Bank has approved a grant of $97.50 million, from the International Development Association (IDA), to provide regular and predictable cash support to Afghans affected by drought and COVID-19 and improve food and nutrition security.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the World Bank stated that the grant will also help build Afghanistan’s drought early warning and response systems.
“The grant will help finance the Drought Early Warning, Early Finance, and Early Action Project (ENETAWF),” the statement said.
According to the statement, the project will complement regular humanitarian relief efforts and provide unconditional cash support and cash-for-work benefits to about 2.2 million Afghans in the 78 districts most affected by food insecurity and drought.
“The project will provide regular targeted financial assistance to households to build resilience and scale-up support across the country before and during droughts. It will also support the Government of Afghanistan to deliver critical weather, water, and climate information services, disseminate early warnings, and strengthen disaster preparedness within communities,” the statement read.
“The IDA grant complements grants of $115 million from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, a multi-donor trust fund managed by the World Bank on behalf of 34 donors, plus $8 million from the Global Risk Financing Facility, and $2 million from the program for Asia Resilience to Climate Change Multi-donor Trust Fund.”
“Afghanistan is one of the countries most affected and vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, and its weak response system has further contributed to this vulnerability,” said Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan.
“This new financial assistance will help the Government of Afghanistan lessen drought impacts that have displaced millions of Afghans and pushed them into poverty. The project’s support to Afghan rural households will contribute to overall poverty reduction and economic recovery,” Kerali added.
The organization stated that Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to intense and recurring droughts, which further undermine its growth and stability.
“Natural disasters have spurred displacement, poverty, and food insecurity among rural Afghans, which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated. Rural households, dependent on subsistence agriculture in drought-prone, rainfed areas, are especially vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity,” the World Bank said.
The World Bank noted that the project will be implemented by the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, under which the National Emergency Operations Center in the disaster management agency will be strengthened.
“In addition, a Disaster Risk Management Resource Center will be established at the ministry.”
“In line with the World Bank Group’s institutional strategy on Fragility, Conflict, and Violence, the investments outlined in this project will seek to mitigate drivers of fragility by addressing some of its root causes and it will seek to strengthen the institutions necessary to transition the country out of fragility,” the statement concluded.
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Slovenia contributes €200,000 to support UNFPA humanitarian work in Afghanistan
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.
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Afghanistan rejects Pakistan’s allegations as ‘baseless’
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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UNAMA reports hundreds of civilian casualties in Pakistan-linked violence across Afghanistan
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has reported that nearly 800 civilians were killed or wounded during the first three months of 2026 in attacks and clashes linked to tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According to the report, 95 security-related incidents were recorded between January and March along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas. The highest number of casualties was reported in Kabul, Kunar, and Paktika provinces, with women and children among those affected.
UNAMA stated that more than 750 civilian casualties occurred during armed confrontations involving Afghan security forces and Pakistani military forces. The report noted that 64 percent of the casualties were caused by airstrikes, while 35 percent resulted from rocket attacks.
The UN mission also said that approximately 94,000 people, including over 13,000 families, were displaced by the violence. Homes, schools, mosques, and other civilian properties were reportedly damaged during the clashes.
Among the deadliest incidents highlighted in the report was the March 2026 airstrike on a drug treatment center in Kabul.
UNAMA urged Pakistan to adhere to international humanitarian law and avoid targeting civilian-populated areas during military operations.
Meanwhile, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said militant attacks inside Pakistan were being conducted through Afghan territory with Indian support. He called for an end to militancy in Pakistan and urged Afghanistan not to allow its soil to be used for attacks against neighboring countries.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly rejected such allegations, describing them as baseless and insisting that Afghan territory will not be used against any country. Afghan officials have also argued that insecurity in Pakistan remains an internal issue for Islamabad.
The latest developments come amid ongoing regional tensions and growing concerns over cross-border violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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