Over 3,00,000 Afghans internally displaced due to intensification of conflict: UN

Grand-Saconnex [Switzerland], August 7 (ANI): More than 3,00,000 Afghans have been internally displaced after the recent intensification of the conflict in the war-torn country, said a United Nations agency.

The UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Friday said that the situation for people who have been displaced following the resurgence of the Taliban is expected “to continue to deteriorate”. The IOM estimates that “more than 300,000 Afghans have been internally displaced by the recent intensification of the conflict and in June some 40,000 people a week fled to neighbouring Iran.”

Meanwhile, despite the significant dangers posed to civilians, more people are returning home from outside the country. Over the past few months, the Taliban has been carrying out a major nationwide offensive in the wake of the withdrawal of foreign troops. Taliban have captured several key districts in Afghanistan including the country’s northeastern province Takhar.

After capturing new areas in Afghanistan, the Taliban has re-imposed repressive laws and retrograde policies on Afghan women that defined its 1996-2001 rule when they enforced their version of Islamic Sharia law. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1.5 million people have been deported from or opted to leave, neighbouring Pakistan and Iran to return to Afghanistan, the agency noted.

The returnees need food, clothes, rent for a new house as many have lost their homes, and payment to cover transportation to their final destination. Many are being supported by the IOM. “The situation in Afghanistan is worsening daily from every perspective”, according to Stuart Simpson, IOM Afghanistan Chief of Mission.

“Now is not the time to turn a blind eye to Afghanistan’s critical situation. International attention and advocacy is urgently needed to convey the suffering of Afghan civilians to the world. A negotiated ceasefire remains the best solution for Afghanistan’s civilian population to stay safe and potentially create the conditions for improved service delivery and the access required to reach vulnerable persons with care and assistance,” Simpson added.

The UN estimates that almost half the Afghan population, 18.5 million people, will require humanitarian support in 2021 to cope with the multifaceted crisis, caused by conflict, COVID-19 and widespread under-development and poverty. However, as fighting intensifies and spreads, the operating space for humanitarians providing life-saving assistance continues to shrink dramatically.

“IOM will ensure we are prepared for a continued deterioration in the humanitarian situation”, said Stuart Simpson. “We will do our utmost to keep our programming up and running through targeted access negotiations with parties to the conflict to allow critical interventions to move ahead but only insofar as we can guarantee the safety of our staff”. (ANI)