Isolated Taliban Call for International Aid After Deadly Afghan Earthquakes 

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers made a rare request for foreign assistance after two earthquakes and aftershocks this week killed or injured thousands of people and destroyed entire villages, aggravating an already dire humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged country, CNN reported. 

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake Sunday leveled towns and villages in northeast Afghanistan, killing more than 1,400 people and injuring over 3,000. Rescue workers believe many individuals remain trapped under debris, while officials expect the number of victims to rise, the Washington Post wrote. 

On Tuesday, a second 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck northeast of Jalalabad, Nangahar Province, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Strong aftershocks were also felt in Kabul, the capital, a Taliban government spokesperson said. The tremors were felt as far away as neighboring Pakistan. 

The most severe damage was in Konar Province, while officials also reported casualties in the neighboring provinces of Nangahar, the location of the earthquake’s epicenter, and Laghman. Relief teams struggled to reach the remote mountainous areas hit hardest due to heavy rain, landslides, and damaged roads. 

While Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes, Sunday’s episode was one of the strongest in recent years, striking a country that is already struggling with severe drought and what the United Nations called an unprecedented hunger crisis, the BBC noted. 

As a result, the Taliban government – which regained power in 2021 following the withdrawal of the US and to date is only recognized by Russia – has made a rare appeal for international help. 

“International organizations have played a key role during such disasters in the past,” said Yousuf Hammad, a spokesman for the Taliban-run National Disaster Management Authority. “We definitely need international humanitarian aid.” 

Several neighboring countries, including Iran, Pakistan, and China, have pledged assistance. The United Arab Emirates and India dispatched food and tents to affected regions. The UN, the European Union, and the United Kingdom released emergency funds. 

However, there were rising concerns that the recent US aid cuts and international donors’ reluctance to support the Taliban government could slow the disaster response. Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has already plummeted in recent years, with many international aid groups halting funding over concerns about human rights abuses and repression under the Taliban, especially regarding females. 

The British government announced emergency aid for Afghan earthquake victims but said it would be “channeled through experienced partners, ensuring aid reaches those in need and does not go to the Taliban.”