Kabul: The Taliban have stated that they will provide "necessary facilities" to international aid organizations, despite previous reports from the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies accusing them of interfering in the distribution of aid.
According to the Taliban-led National Disaster Management Authority, this commitment was discussed during a meeting between the authority's head, Nooruddin Turabi, and the World Food Programme's (WFP) representative for Afghanistan, Motinta Chimuoka.
In a statement, the Taliban-led authority noted that the WFP official emphasized the need for strengthened cooperation to ensure timely aid delivery to vulnerable Afghan families.
However, earlier UN reports indicated that the Taliban have been interfering in humanitarian operations, creating obstacles for aid agencies working in Afghanistan. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in December that Taliban interference had placed restrictions on aid distribution efforts.
According to a WFP report from November, Afghanistan remains among the 22 countries facing a severe hunger crisis. The report highlighted that 12.4 million Afghans are experiencing "severe food insecurity," with many unsure of where their next meal will come from.
