Kabul: Afghanistan’s “caretaker” President Amrullah Saleh highlighted the dire “humanitarian situation” in the Andrab Valley of northern Baghlan province and accused the Taliban of human rights violations in the region.
This comes after clashes between the Taliban and resistance forces were reported in the Andrab region. Taliban forces in the Panjshir Valley, led by Ahmed Masood, the son of renowned Taliban rival Ahmed Shah Masood, are reportedly facing challenges from local resistance forces.
“The Talibs are not allowing food and fuel to enter the Andrab Valley. The humanitarian situation is dire. Thousands of women and children have fled to the mountains. For the past two days, Talib kidnaps children and elderly people and uses them as shields. Or search the house,” Saleh tweeted.
A day earlier, Saleh had warned the Taliban to avoid entering Panjshir.
“The Taliban have gathered forces near the entrance of Panjshir a day after they were trapped in ambush areas of the neighboring Andrab Valley and barely made their way out in one piece. Meanwhile, the Salang highway was closed by the forces of resistance. ‘Here are the areas,’ Saleh tweeted on Sunday.
UN humanitarian agencies, meanwhile, are warning they are unable to bring urgently needed emergency supplies to Afghanistan, and immediately set up a “humanitarian air bridge” to allow the uninterrupted delivery of medicines and other aid supplies to the country. are calling to do. .
WHO regional director Richard Brennan said the agency was unable to bring about 500 tonnes of medical supplies to the country to be delivered this week.
In the past week, the WHO has distributed trauma and medical kits from existing supplies to hospitals in Kabul, Kunduz and Helmand provinces, to support health services for thousands of people in need. However, supplies are dwindling and they need to be replenished, UN News reported.
The main focus has been on the evacuation of foreigners and vulnerable Afghans, but agencies pointed out that “the vast humanitarian needs facing the majority of the population should not – and cannot be – neglected”.