Afghanistan is confronting an escalating humanitarian emergency as freezing winter conditions, widespread food insecurity and sharp reductions in international aid leave millions struggling to survive, aid agencies have warned.
Families across the country are living in makeshift shelters, burning scraps of wood and rubbish to stay warm and scavenging for food amid soaring prices and limited work opportunities, according to United Nations assessments.
More than 17 million people in Afghanistan are now facing acute food insecurity this winter (up by about three million from last year) and nearly 4.7 million could reach emergency levels of hunger, the World Food Programme (WFP) has said.
The crisis has been compounded this year by the return of more than 2.6 million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan, driven largely by tightened migration policies and deteriorating protection conditions. This has placed further strain on limited local resources and services, according to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
Aid organisations report surging malnutrition, particularly among children and women, while clinics and distribution points are overwhelmed.
Samiullah, a 55-year-old Afghan deportee from Iran, described the daily struggle with cold and hunger.
“We live here out of necessity and hardship. Whatever is within our power, we will do. Our hearts long for many things, but we simply cannot afford them. When the wind and rain come, we hold our children close and keep going — because we have no choice. The children cry that it’s cold, but what can we do? We endure because we have to.”
He also spoke of days without sufficient food.
“There was a time we went hungry for two days. I had only 50 Afghanis ($0.75), and with that small amount, we bought bread for the children. We tore it into pieces and shared it among them. Adults can endure hunger, but children cannot. For two days, we survived on just 50 Afghanis.”
Alarming statistics
WFP estimates that around 4.9 million mothers and children in Afghanistan will need treatment for malnutrition by March 2026, and that nearly one in five people in the country face extreme hunger due to the confluence of drought, displacement and economic decline.
John Aylieff, WFP’s country director, warned of an alarming escalation in hunger, saying that one third of the population are experiencing acute hunger.
According to Aylieff, the situation is dramatically worse than last year due to a confluence of factors.
"There's a drought in the north. Malnutrition is rising exponentially. We have the return of 2.5 million people this year to Afghanistan. The forced return. All these things are coming together to create a perfect storm for Afghanistan,” he stated.
Humanitarian organisations also stress that funding shortfalls have left them badly overstretched, reaching only a fraction of those in need while long queues form at food distribution sites.
The United Nations and its partners have launched a $1.7 billion appeal to assist nearly 18 million people, but resources are declining; this year’s appeal reflects a reduction in aid compared with 2025, even as needs grow.
Crisis outlook
More than 45% of Afghanistan’s population (roughly 21.9 million people) is estimated to need humanitarian assistance in 2026, with the worst impacts expected through the lean season and winter months.
Aid groups have repeatedly warned that, without additional support, malnutrition and food insecurity could worsen, with especially severe consequences for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
The humanitarian organisation Save the Children estimates that more than 9 million Afghan children face critical hunger this winter, with malnutrition admissions rising sharply compared with last year.
The crisis highlights the challenges of overlapping emergencies in Afghanistan, where decades of conflict, economic hardship, environmental disasters and restricted humanitarian access continue to erode resilience among the most vulnerable families.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Ministe...
Five years ago today, Taliban fighters entered Kabul, completing a rapid takeover of Afghanistan as the former government collapsed....
For fishermen along Pakistan’s southwestern coast, the consequences of the U.S.-Iran conflict are being felt far from the battlefield....
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
Wildfires across England and Wales have reached their highest level on record, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council, as firefighters struggle to contain outbreaks following a spell of extreme heat.
Record rainfall in Japan killed eight people and stranded thousands of travellers at Tokyo's Narita Airport on Friday, as flooding disrupted transport and cut power to 20,000 homes.
For fishermen along Pakistan’s southwestern coast, the consequences of the U.S.-Iran conflict are being felt far from the battlefield.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry has expressed regret over the death of a 21-year-old pregnant woman killed by gunfire across the border in Tajikistan’s Darvoz district. Dushanbe has issued a formal protest to Kabul over the incident, which it said involved a violation of its airspace.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan all reported blackouts on Friday, which Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said had been caused by a "sudden change in the power flow" from the Central Asian grid.
The United Nations has urged sustained international engagement with Afghanistan five years into Taliban rule, warning that restrictions on women and terrorism concerns risk undermining gains from improved security.
Iran says the U.S. war and military presence in the region have worsened marine pollution around the Strait of Hormuz, calling for environmental protection to form part of future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment