Taliban warned on Sunday that ongoing drought conditions in western Afghanistan could force more than 2,700 families to flee their homes in Badghis Province if urgent assistance is not provided.
Nooruddin Turabi, head of the Taliban’s Disaster Management Authority, issued the warning during a meeting in Kabul with Isabelle Moussard Carlsen, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Afghanistan.
Turabi said residents of Darinur district are facing severe water shortages, and that continued drought without immediate intervention could lead to a wave of internal displacement. He urged OCHA to press international aid agencies for “substantial and effective” action to support vulnerable communities.
“We are pleased to be working together and are committed to providing timely assistance to affected families,” Turabi said, according to a statement released by Taliban officials.
In response, Carlsen acknowledged the challenges facing humanitarian operations amid reduced funding, but said her office remains committed to reaching vulnerable families. She pledged to raise the issue of Badghis’s drought crisis with other international partners in an effort to coordinate a timely response.
Taliban said both parties agreed to maintain close cooperation and to work on easing barriers that hinder the delivery of aid.
This comes amid a broader humanitarian crisis in the country, where millions are struggling with food insecurity, displacement, and limited access to basic services. International aid to the country has declined since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, exacerbating the vulnerability of rural communities facing climate-related disasters.
