IDPs appeal for urgent help ahead of winter

As many as five million people in Afghanistan who have been displaced due to the recent conflict are in desperate need of emergency aid ahead of winter.

Thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) are living in very poor conditions in Kabul camps, where they have no access to medical services nor regular food supplies.

Sahar Arsalan, an IDP stated: “Refugees from all provinces are living inside tents in hardship; so far, they have not received any assistance from the Islamic Emirate or any organizations.”

The IDPs have also called on aid agencies to provide them with shelter in Kabul or help them to return home.

Another IDP said: “Many refugees have no home in their provinces and they need aid and help to get back to their province to help them pay rent for houses.”

Meanwhile, Amnesty International stated that over 5 million internally displaced Afghans are in dire need of support amidst the escalating crisis in Afghanistan.

“The international community must ensure humanitarian aid continues unabated to Afghanistan, the organization tweeted.

The Ministry of Refugees, however, stated that the number of IDPs is lower than what Amnesty International has reported.

The Ministry said around one million Afghans have been displaced, adding that aid would be provided to all displaced people.

Arsala Kharoti, the acting deputy minister of refugees stated: “Consultations have been made with as many as 30 organizations, issues of transportation have been considered for them (IDPs), for where they must go [to live], food and cash and we have also discussed the issue of those who don’t have shelter and whose houses have been destroyed.”