UNICEF: Over 19 million Afghans, half of them children, receive Humanitarian Aid

February 23, 2025
Khaama Press

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that over 19 million people in Afghanistan benefited from the organization’s humanitarian aid last year, with more than half of them being children.

In a recent report, UNICEF stated that the aid provided covered various sectors, including health, education, nutrition, water sanitation, social protection, and child protection.

Tajuddeen Oyewale, the head of UNICEF’s office in Kabul, announced on Sunday, February 23 that in 2024, approximately 23.7 million people in Afghanistan, including 12.6 million children, would require humanitarian assistance due to issues such as prolonged conflicts, the return of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, climate change, and the economic crisis.

The report also mentioned that UNICEF provided vital medical services to 628,000 children under the age of five suffering from severe malnutrition, resulting in an 80% improvement in their conditions.

UNICEF emphasized that the restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan have exacerbated humanitarian challenges. The organization warned that excluding women from various aspects of life, including education and the labor market, has not only worsened the economic crisis but also increased social and security risks.

According to the UNICEF report, the organization requested $1.44 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan from the international community in 2024, but only 56% of this budget was fulfilled.

Despite ongoing needs, international aid to Afghanistan has decreased, raising concerns about the continuation of humanitarian programs in the country.

UNICEF’s report highlights the critical and growing humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, especially among children, and underscores the challenges faced by international aid organizations. With continued restrictions and a decline in global funding, the future of humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan remains uncertain, and further support from the international community is urgently needed.

UNICEF: Over 19 million Afghans, half of them children, receive Humanitarian Aid
read more

Trump appoints official to retrieve US weapons from Afghanistan

February 23, 2025
Khaama Press

In a recent speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, U.S. President Donald Trump instructed an official to develop a plan to recover U.S. military equipment from the Taliban.

In his recent speech, Trump referred to a person named “Doug” and asked him to take action on retrieving U.S. military equipment from the Taliban. He praised Doug, saying, “He can do this. He is an entrepreneur.”

The exact identity of this official remains unclear, but some believe Trump was referring to Doug Manchester, a businessman and supporter of the Republican Party.

Trump continued his remarks by emphasizing the need to retrieve the American weapons in Taliban hands, expressing anger at watching Taliban military parades featuring U.S. equipment.

He stated, “We give about two to two and a half billion dollars to Afghanistan every year, while we ourselves need help.”

The remaining U.S. military equipment in Afghanistan includes 78 aircraft, over 40,000 military vehicles, and more than 300,000 weapons, all of which are now in the possession of the Taliban government.

Trump’s remarks reflect ongoing concerns about the loss of critical U.S. military assets to the Taliban and the broader consequences of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. While the identity of the official tasked with recovering this equipment remains uncertain, the implications of such a mission are significant for both U.S. national security and international relations.

Earlier, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s senior spokesperson said the Taliban considers the U.S. equipment left in Afghanistan as “war loot” and will continue to protect it. He added that the U.S. could not reclaim it unless the Taliban are no longer in power.

Trump appoints official to retrieve US weapons from Afghanistan
read more

Fitrat: Former Govt Politicians No Longer Trusted by Afghan People

February 23, 2025
Nazim Qasimi
Tolo News
23 Feb 2025

He further added that the caretaker government is taking a serious approach to fostering closer ties with other countries.

Fasihuddin Fitrat, the chief of staff of the Ministry of Defense, commented on the fifth meeting of political figures from the former government held in Vienna, stating that these individuals are no longer acceptable to the people of Afghanistan.

Speaking to reporters in Badakhshan, Fitrat highlighted the caretaker government’s engagement at various levels with countries around the world, emphasizing that the Islamic Emirate seeks to expand its relations with the international community.

The chief of staff of the Ministry of Defense said: “With these meetings, they aim to confuse public opinion. They are well-known individuals whom the Afghan people no longer trust. It would be better for them to stop conspiring and spreading propaganda against the Islamic Emirate.”

He further added that the caretaker government is taking a serious approach to fostering closer ties with other countries, and currently, many nations are engaged in some form of interaction with the Islamic Emirate.

Fasihuddin Fatrat stated: “Although no country has officially declared its recognition of the Islamic Emirate, the interactions taking place so far indicate that the Islamic Emirate holds its position in the world, and countries are engaging with it.”

Meanwhile, Amanuddin Mansoor, commander of the Omari Army Corps, dismissed claims of internal disagreements among Islamic Emirate members and stressed that no government will exist in Afghanistan after the ‘Taliban’.

Commander Mansoor stated: “There are no fundamental disagreements among Taliban leaders. Just as they fought under one flag during the jihad, today, the same unity remains among them. There has been no change, and there will be no post-Taliban government; such a thing does not exist.”

Additionally, the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Defense rejected reports of ISIS presence and recruitment in northern Afghanistan, asserting that the group does not have the capability to disrupt the country’s security.

Fitrat: Former Govt Politicians No Longer Trusted by Afghan People
read more

ICRC Chief Stresses National Programs, Healthcare Access in Afghanistan

February 23, 2025
Hadia Ziaei
Tolo News
23 Feb 2025
In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, he stated that global humanitarian aid to Afghanistan is beneficial in the short term.
Pierre Krähenbühl, director-general of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), stressed the need to focus on national programs to improve the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, citing the stability that has emerged in the country.

In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, he stated that global humanitarian aid to Afghanistan is beneficial in the short term.

“The future cannot be humanitarian. I don’t wish even for any population to depend on humanitarian responses for the long-term. This shouldn’t be moving at one point into development responses into national plans to improve the situation … if you ask any country on the planet, It was never humanitarian aid that gave a path for the future. Humanitarian aid should be short-period,” said the ICRC director-general.

Krähenbühl further stressed that the ICRC’s focus is on addressing the challenges faced by the Afghan people and improving their living conditions. He also called for greater global coordination to change the situation in Afghanistan.

“The lives of many Afghans are still in very critical circumstances, and this is why we think that it is important for international actors to participate and cooperate in finding solutions, humanitarian programs, and development assistance. Our contribution has been 40 years of presence here and that we remain focused on the humanitarian priorities that we have with the Afghan Red Crescent,” he added.

Krähenbühl also highlighted the necessity of having trained healthcare workers, both male and female, to ensure fair access to medical services for all citizens.

“In order for people to have access to healthcare, we need skilled personnel and this is very important. So, training of skilled health personnel, be they men or women, is very important because every Afghan man, every Afghan woman, every Afghan boy and every Afghan girl should have access in equal ways to healthcare,” he stated.

According to Krähenbühl, 65% of the services provided by the 47 ICRC health centers in Afghanistan are received by women and children. Additionally, the ICRC supported 200,000 people in the country last year.

ICRC Chief Stresses National Programs, Healthcare Access in Afghanistan
read more

Trump Links US Aid to Afghanistan with Return of Military Equipment

February 23, 2025
TOLOnews
TV Network
23 Feb 2025

Some political analysts argue that retrieving the equipment is not feasible.

US President Donald Trump has made Washington’s continued aid to Afghanistan conditional on the return of military equipment left behind in the country.

Trump stated that the US provides $2.5 billion annually to Afghanistan, and this aid will only continue if the weapons and military gear are returned to Washington.

The US president said: “We give Afghanistan about two or two and a half billion dollars a year. Do you know that — for aid? We need aid ourselves. And I’m going to go back, I told them yesterday, I want to look at it, but if we’re going to give them money it’s okay, but I want them to give us back our military equipment that they have.”

The Islamic Emirate has not yet responded to Trump’s remarks. However, in the past, its spokesperson dismissed Trump’s claims about retrieving military equipment and the Bagram airbase as unrealistic.

Some political analysts argue that retrieving the equipment is not feasible.

“These military assets were handed over to the former republic’s government, and the Islamic Emirate took them as spoils of war. According to diplomatic principles, war spoils are not requested back or returned,” said Edris Mohammadi Zazi, a political analyst.

“Trump’s claim, when compared to the oppression and killings the US carried out in Afghanistan over the past 20 years, could lead to the conclusion that the US is actually indebted to Afghanistan,” said Sayed Akbar Sial Wardak, another political analyst.

This is not the first time Trump has raised the issue of US military equipment in Afghanistan. Previously, he also stressed reclaiming the military assets and the Bagram airbase, a claim that the Islamic Emirate’s spokesperson dismissed as unrealistic.

Trump Links US Aid to Afghanistan with Return of Military Equipment
read more

Afghan women’s radio station will resume broadcasts after Taliban lift suspension

February 23, 2025

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
February 23, 2025

An Afghan women’s radio station will resume broadcasts after the Taliban lifted their suspension over alleged cooperation with an overseas TV channel.

Radio Begum launched on International Women’s Day in March 2021, five months before the Taliban seized power amid the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops.

The station’s content is produced entirely by Afghan women. Its sister satellite channel, Begum TV, operates from France and broadcasts programs that cover the Afghan school curriculum from seventh to 12th grade. The Taliban have banned education for women and girls in the country beyond grade six.

In a statement issued Saturday night, the Taliban Information and Culture Ministry said Radio Begum had “repeatedly requested” to restart operations and that the suspension was lifted after the station made commitments to authorities.

The station pledged to conduct broadcasts “in accordance with the principles of journalism and the regulations of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and to avoid any violations in the future,” it added.

The ministry did not elaborate what those principles and regulations were. Radio Begum confirmed the ministry had granted permission to resume broadcasting. It did not give further details.

Since their takeover, the Taliban have excluded women from education, many kinds of work, and public spaces. Journalists, especially women, have lost their jobs as the Taliban tighten their grip on the media.

In the 2024 press freedom index from Reporters without Borders, Afghanistan ranks 178 out of 180 countries. The year before that it ranked 152.

The Information Ministry did not initially identify the TV channel it alleged Radio Begum had been working with. But the Saturday statement mentioned collaboration with “foreign sanctioned media outlets.”

Afghan women’s radio station will resume broadcasts after Taliban lift suspension
read more

India considering accepting Taliban Ambassador amid rising Chinese influence in Afghanistan: Bloomberg

February 22, 2025
Khaama Press

Bloomberg has reported that India, in response to China’s growing influence in Afghanistan, is cautiously considering accepting a Taliban representative as the ambassador to the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi.

This move by India comes as part of a competitive effort to counter China’s influence in the region, and India is currently exploring various avenues to re-establish its relationship with the Taliban. Diplomatic sources have informed the media that the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is consulting and negotiating on the possibility of accepting Taliban diplomats at the Afghanistan Embassy in India.

“India’s government is expected to accept a top Taliban representative to the country soon, the latest step from New Delhi to improve ties with Kabul and counter China’s growing influence in Afghanistan,” the report stated.

According to the report, Najib Shaheen, the son of Sohail Shaheen, the Taliban’s ambassador in Qatar, has been introduced as a potential candidate for this post.

According to the information, the Taliban plans to send a small delegation to New Delhi as a first step to assess the embassy’s situation. Najib Shaheen and Shaukat Dawlatzai, another prominent figure from the Taliban, have been named as the main candidates for the position of Taliban’s ambassador to India.

Before 2021, India was involved in over 500 development projects in Afghanistan. However, after the Taliban took control, India severed ties with the group and closed its embassy in Kabul. In recent months, while political interactions between the Taliban and India have begun, India has continued to reduce its humanitarian aid and has halted visas for Afghanistan’s patients and students.

Following the collapse of the previous Afghanistan government, former Ambassador Farid Mamundzai resigned due to pressures from the Taliban and direct contacts between the Indian government and the Taliban. Currently, Syed Mohammad Ibrahimkhil, the Afghanistan Consul General in Hyderabad, has taken over the responsibility of the embassy, with the approval of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

India’s cautious steps toward engaging with the Taliban reflect its strategic considerations in balancing regional influence, particularly in light of China’s growing presence in Afghanistan. As India navigates this delicate diplomatic situation, the future of Afghanistan-India relations and the Taliban’s representation in India remain pivotal in shaping the regional dynamics.

India considering accepting Taliban Ambassador amid rising Chinese influence in Afghanistan: Bloomberg
read more

Closure of Torkham Crossing Increases Hardship for Travelers

February 22, 2025
Sadaqat Ghorzang
Tolo News
22 Feb 2025

However, some passengers and traders are calling for an immediate resolution to the issue and the reopening of the crossing.

Pakistan shut down the Torkham crossing last night, halting all movement.

Abdul Jabbar Hikmat, the Torkham commissioner, told TOLOnews that the Pakistani side closed the gate after Islamic Emirate forces on the Afghan side were engaged in construction activities.

Regarding the issue, the Torkham commissioner said: “Whenever we build facilities, they close the route. We tell them, if you don’t allow us to construct facilities, then you shouldn’t build them either.”

However, some passengers and traders are calling for an immediate resolution to the issue and the reopening of the crossing.

Noor-ul-Haq, who is with a patient at Torkham, told TOLOnews: “One of our patients is here, and we are not allowed to take them to Peshawar for treatment. Another one of our patients has passed away on the other side, and Pakistan is not permitting us to bring back the body because the gate has been closed since yesterday.”

Abdullah, one of the travelers stuck at Torkham, told TOLOnews: “We arrived at Torkham at 8:30 in the morning. We have a bride with us. Half of our family is stuck here, and the other half is on the other side because the gate is closed.”

Anwar Khan, a resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said: “Our request is for both sides to sit down and resolve this issue through dialogue. There are many children and women facing difficulties here; they should be allowed to pass.”

Previously, due to clashes between Pakistani military forces and Islamic Emirate forces, not only the Torkham crossing but also the Ghulam Khan crossing in Khost and the Kharlachi crossing in Paktia have been repeatedly closed and reopened.

Closure of Torkham Crossing Increases Hardship for Travelers
read more

Ishaq Dar: Pakistan Committed to Cooperation with Afghanistan

February 22, 2025
Mohammad Bashir Soltani
Tolo News
22 Feb 2025

According to Dar, if those countries refuse to accept the refugees, Pakistan will send them back to Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s foreign minister reaffirmed his country’s commitment to continued cooperation with Afghanistan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar stated that given the shared cultural, religious, and historical ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Islamabad remains committed to cooperation with the interim Afghan government.

Dar once again emphasized that the Islamic Emirate must provide assurances that Afghanistan’s territory will not be used against Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, stated: “We are neighbors, we have a common culture, we have a common religion, and we have a common history. So, we want Afghanistan to prosper and develop. It is a landlocked country. We have given all the assistance, and we will continue to provide all the assistance to Afghanistan.”
Dar also addressed the situation of Afghan refugees awaiting relocation to third countries.

According to Dar, if those countries refuse to accept the refugees, Pakistan will send them back to Afghanistan.

He said: “If it doesn’t happen and the country refuses, for us, that will be an illegal immigrant in Pakistan, and we might be forced to send such a refugee back to their country of origin, which is Afghanistan.”
The Islamic Emirate has not yet responded to Ishaq Dar’s latest statements. However, it has previously reiterated that Afghan soil is not used against other countries and, in contrast, has accused Pakistan of allowing its territory to be used against Afghanistan.

Political analyst Yusuf Amin Zazai said: “For 45 to 50 years, Pakistan has harbored terrorism, and there is overwhelming evidence of this. What is surprising is why the world turns a blind eye and why Pakistan refuses to acknowledge it. This only means one thing—the global powers and the West are backing terrorism and supporting Pakistan.”

Previously, Ishaq Dar had also stated during a United Nations Security Council meeting that despite security concerns, Islamabad would continue engagement and cooperation with the Islamic Emirate.

Ishaq Dar: Pakistan Committed to Cooperation with Afghanistan
read more

Afghan embassy says nationals face arrests, expulsions in Pakistan capital

February 21, 2025
Al Jazeera
Published On 19 Feb 2025
The embassy says Afghan nationals face forced relocations in Islamabad amid rising tensions between the neighbours.

The Afghanistan embassy in Pakistan has warned that the government wants to remove all Afghan refugees from the capital, Islamabad, and the adjoining city of Rawalpindi.

The embassy issued a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, saying Afghan nationals in both cities have been subjected to arrests, searches and orders from the police to leave and relocate to other parts of Pakistan.

The warning comes as the relationship between the two countries continues to deteriorate, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of failing to curb cross-border attacks.

“This process of detaining Afghans, which began without any formal announcement, has not been officially communicated to the Embassy of Afghanistan in Islamabad through any formal correspondence,” the embassy said.

“Ultimately, officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that there is a definitive and final plan to deport/remove all Afghan refugees not only from Islamabad and Rawalpindi but also from the entire country in the near future,” it added.

In November 2023, Pakistan launched a widely criticised repatriation programme aimed at returning millions of Afghans, regardless of their legal status.

Pakistan currently hosts nearly more than 2.5 million Afghans, according to government estimates. About half of them are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Authorities say those registered earlier had their stay extended until June 2025, and they would not be arrested or deported at least until the extension expires.

Last month, in a two-page document issued by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office, the government outlined a three-phase plan to send back Afghan citizens to their country.

The Afghan embassy said it had already “expressed serious concerns” regarding the “mass expulsion of Afghan refugees within such a short timeframe and the unilateral nature of Pakistan’s decision”.

Pakistan has set March 31 as the deadline to expel Afghan refugees from Islamabad and Rawalpindi in preparation for their deportation if they are not relocated to the host countries that agreed to take them after the Taliban seized power in 2021.

In the past three years, tens of thousands of Afghans have fled to Pakistan. Many of them were approved for resettlement in the United States through a programme that helps people at risk because of their work with the US government, media, aid agencies and rights groups.

However, US President Donald Trump paused refugee programmes last month. Since then, about 20,000 Afghans are now in limbo in Pakistan.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies
Afghan embassy says nationals face arrests, expulsions in Pakistan capital
read more

Recent Posts