The OCHA humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan reported that over the past two years, 38 workers lost their lives. According to Daniel Endres, a majority of these individuals were involved in tasks such as administering polio vaccinations and demining operations within Afghanistan.
“We commend their bravery and honor their unwavering commitment to serving humanity. Let us also take a moment to acknowledge those humanitarian workers who have tragically lost their lives, suffered injuries, been kidnapped, detained, or are currently held captive… A total of 38 workers lost their lives in the past two years, many of whom were engaged in polio vaccination and demining activities,” stated Daniel Endres.
Asadullah Nadim, a military analyst, remarked, “The existing Taliban government bears a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of aid personnel and those actively involved in the distribution of assistance to the Afghan population.”
Despite encountering challenges in obtaining sufficient funding for humanitarian endeavors in Afghanistan, UN staff managed to deliver humanitarian support to over 26 million individuals across 401 districts during the previous year.
Daniel Endres emphasized, “The humanitarian requirements in Afghanistan encompassed more than 29 million individuals in need of aid.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate dismissed the assertions made by the humanitarian aid coordinator, asserting that aid workers within Afghanistan have the backing of the Islamic Emirate.
Zabiullah Mujahid conveyed, “Various Western institutions are working in concert to portray Afghanistan as an unsafe region, perpetuating their propaganda. This is far from the truth; both Afghans and we ourselves have witnessed that aid workers have not faced harm.”
In February 2022, separate incidents of gunfire claimed the lives of eight healthcare workers, including four women, in the northern provinces of Kunduz and Takhar.
