The World Food Programme (WFP) has postponed food distribution in Barmal and Giyan districts of Afghanistan’s Paktika Province due to border skirmishes between Afghan and Pakistani forces that began on December 25, according to a recent UN report.
The clashes, which have also impacted Paktya and Khost provinces, have prompted the WFP to monitor the situation closely for potential internal displacement. The delays come amid Afghanistan’s deepening humanitarian crisis, with the UN estimating that nearly 23 million people, including over 12 million children, will require aid in 2025.
The WFP report highlighted additional challenges linked to Taliban-imposed restrictions on women’s participation in aid efforts. The agency said it is working with the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and its NGO partners to ensure that aid reaches women, men, and children in need while adhering to humanitarian principles.
Delays in December were attributed to biometric registration issues affecting female beneficiaries in some districts. These suspensions required negotiations but have since been resolved, allowing biometric registration to resume.
Further complicating aid delivery, the report noted that Pakistani authorities suspended United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flights between Kabul and Islamabad on December 1, 2024. “UNHAS has requested Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene with the Ministry of Aviation for immediate reinstatement of flight clearances,” the report said.
