RASC News Agency: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised alarms over the increasing interference of the Taliban in the operations of humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan. On Tuesday, October 22, OCHA reported that during the month of September alone, 173 instances of such interference were recorded, all of which have occurred under Taliban control. This escalating disruption has led to the temporary suspension of at least 83 critical humanitarian projects.
The statement highlights that two projects were completely halted and one relocated due to Taliban interference. Shockingly, 98% of these disruptions were attributed directly to the Taliban. OCHA outlined the core areas of concern, including obstruction of humanitarian work, violence against staff, restricted access to aid assets and facilities, and severe limitations on the mobility of aid personnel within the country. The report further underscored a sharp increase in Taliban interference, with a 31% rise compared to the previous month and an alarming 66% increase from the same time last year. The organization expressed grave concern, stating that 88% of incidents that impeded humanitarian operations in September were directly linked to Taliban interference.
Among the most pressing issues were the Taliban’s intervention in project execution, influence over hiring practices, demands for sensitive personnel information, procurement disruptions, restrictions on women’s participation in aid work, and imposition of unlawful taxes on aid organizations. Particularly noteworthy was the spike in Taliban interference in recruitment processes during September 2024. Furthermore, the Taliban has reportedly issued 13 restrictive orders aimed at aid agencies, which have primarily come from provincial economic offices, health departments, governors, and police commanders. Since the implementation of the Taliban’s “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law, 47 incidents of interference by this ministry in humanitarian activities have been reported.
These recent developments echo previous concerns voiced by international organizations and Afghanistani citizens regarding the Taliban’s increasing control over aid efforts. Although the Taliban has consistently denied these accusations, OCHA has confirmed that their interference continues to disrupt vital humanitarian aid programs, resulting in widespread project suspensions across Afghanistan.
