Denis Manturov, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, announced that Russia and Uzbekistan are jointly working on the construction of the Afghanistan-Trans railway in the country.

According to the Russian state news agency TASS, Manturov made this statement during the 25th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan, held on Tuesday, December 10.

He emphasized, “We are paying special attention to the development of international transport corridors, including the use of new routes through the Caspian Sea. Joint work is underway to prepare the technical and economic plans for the Afghanistan-Trans railway project.”

Previously, Russia had also confirmed its participation in the Afghanistan-Trans railway project.

Alexey Overchuk, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, stated that the Afghanistan-Trans railway project will improve connectivity in the Central Asia and Eurasia regions.

The Afghanistan-Trans railway project was initially proposed in 2018 between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan, aiming to link Central Asia with Pakistan’s seaports.

The project, which is expected to cost over $4.5 billion, will stretch 573 kilometers and is set to significantly enhance regional connectivity.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for Afghanistan has reported that it has provided aid to 15.3 million people in Afghanistan over the past nine months.

On Tuesday, December 10, OCHA published a message on its X page, stating that 23.7 million people in Afghanistan still require humanitarian assistance.

The report indicates that over 17 million of those in need have been reached by the organization’s efforts.

According to OCHA, addressing the needs of the population in Afghanistan will require a budget of $3.6 billion, with $958 million already received.

As the winter season begins in Afghanistan, international aid organizations have warned of an increase in demand for assistance due to the harsh conditions.

Previously, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) had also warned that 14.8 million people in Afghanistan will require immediate aid during the upcoming winter season.

With the mounting challenges posed by the winter season, it is critical for international bodies to continue providing the necessary aid and resources to the people of Afghanistan. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, the global community’s response will play a crucial role in alleviating the suffering of millions.

Sources in the Taliban’s Ministry of Health told AFP that at least 35,000 female students have been deprived of their education due to the ban on women in medical institutions.

These students were enrolled in 10 government institutes and over 150 private ones, according to the sources.

Some of the students affected by this decision have expressed fear and despair over the closure of these institutions.

Zahra, one of the students who had switched from university to a medical institute after schools were closed, said, “This was my last hope to do something, to become someone. But everything has been taken away from us simply because we are girls.”

The Taliban leader recently instructed educational institutions to prevent women from being admitted.

Zahra, who was in her first year at a private institution, added, “Everyone is confused, and no one really knows what’s happening. We take two or three exams every day… even though we finished our exams months ago.”

One administrator of a private institution in Kabul, which has 1,100 students, 700 of whom are women, said, “We have received many messages from students and teachers asking if there is any hope. No one is happy.”

According to sources from the Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health, 35,000 women were studying fields like nursing, midwifery, dentistry, and laboratory sciences at these institutions.

The United Nations has condemned this decision, describing it as systematic and unacceptable discrimination against women. Experts have called the decision “gendercide,” warning that it could lead to “unnecessary suffering, disease, and possibly death for Afghan women and children.”

The UN stated that this decision would have devastating consequences in a country that already has some of the highest maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the world.

Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, the group has imposed widespread restrictions on women, making Afghanistan the only country where girls are banned from attending school beyond the 6th grade.