On Monday, the UNHCR warned of impending Afghanistan human catastrophe as evacuations from Kabul wind up in coming days. Appealing for support and urging collective action by regional and external states, United Nations Human Rights Council highlights Afghan situation as precarious and volatile.
The UN High Commissioner see the situation amid evacuations and US fall-out as “a larger crisis is just beginning” in Afghanistan and for its 39 million people.
Looming humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan after Kabul airlifts
Filippo Grandi, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, whose agency said last Friday that up to 500,000 Afghans could flee by year-end, reiterated a call for borders to remain open and offer a helping hand to the distraught refugees who are becoming displaced and leaving the country for a better future.
More than half a million Afghans – a majority of whom are women & children – have been forced to flee due to increasing violence & insecurity.
UNHCR calls on Afghanistan's neighbours to keep their borders open. Being able to seek safety can save the lives of countless civilians. pic.twitter.com/KMzjK1RODB
— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) August 29, 2021
The UN High Commissioner urged more countries to share “this humanitarian responsibility” with Iran and Pakistan which already host 2.2 million Afghans.
“The airlifts out of Kabul will end in a matter of days, and the tragedy that has unfolded will no longer be as visible. But it will still be a daily reality for millions of Afghans. We must not turn away. A far greater humanitarian crisis is just beginning,” Grandi said in a statement.
Read more: Terrible Drought in Afghanistan Pushing People to Desperation
"We must help in all the possible ways that we can." –
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees @filippograndi calls on us all to help Afghan people during their moment of dire need. pic.twitter.com/2O9J9wJRI7
— UNHCR United Kingdom (@UNHCRUK) August 26, 2021
No end to Afghanistan humanitarian catastrophe, warns UNHCR
One in three Afghans is going hungry and more than half a million people have been displaced by conflict since January.
Fearing more violence in the wake of Taliban 2.0, tens of thousands of Afghans have fled the country with at least 113,500 people evacuated by the US and its western allies from Kabul airport in the past two weeks.
More Afghans are expected to flee in the future, with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimating that 500,000 people will leave the country in the next four months due to political uncertainty.
Read more: Afghanistan, world’s least peaceful country: Who is responsible?
One-third of Afghanistan’s population of 38 million is facing food insecurity, including two million children who are already malnourished, according to the World Food Programme (WFP)
Speaking to Al Jazeera, WFP Executive Director David Beasley said that the food-assistance branch of the UN would start to run out of food in September without additional funding. The UN warns impending Afghanistan humanitarian catastrophe if countries do not issue a collective response through funding and assistance.
Read more: Afghanistan the most lethal war zone for children