Afghanistan is a humanitarian crisis that seems to have no end: the -34° cold kills 150 people

KABUL (AsiaNews/Agencies) – At least 150 people have died of cold in the last two weeks. Temperatures as low as minus 34 degrees Celsius have aggravated the humanitarian crisis in the country, in free fall after more than four decades of war and marked by the return to power of the Taliban in August 2021. According to the International Federation of Security Societies Red Cross and Red Crescent, large sections of the population do not have the economic means to purchase heating systems. The greatest impact is on the most fragile: women, children, the sick and the elderly.

But the worst could come. The country is hit by the most intense frost wave in the last 10 years, but the worst could happen in the coming months. Some areas will feel the effects of drought, while others may be affected by severe flooding. In Afghanistan today more than half of the population depends on humanitarian assistance; the national health system can only function thanks to aid for development. Six million Afghans face extreme food security problems. The banking system has essentially failed and there are serious problems with electricity supplies. The Taliban regime’s recent ban on women working in non-governmental organizations has made the situation worse, as the humanitarian response requires a strong female presence.