RASC News Agency: A recent report by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reveals a harrowing situation, with over 144,000 children, along with pregnant and nursing women, facing severe malnutrition in Kandahar. Known as the heartland of Taliban control, Kandahar also hosts a costly military unit tasked with the protection of Taliban leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.
The report details a nationwide crisis, where 3.2 million children under five and 840,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women across Afghanistan are suffering from acute malnutrition. The secondary impacts of this crisis have rendered 1.7 million children highly vulnerable. The report, issued on October 20, 2024, highlights that the highest rates of malnutrition are recorded in the provinces of Kandahar and Paktika.
The data further underscores a worrying trend: between May and September 2024, there was a substantial increase in malnutrition cases, pushing the situation to critical levels. “The mortality rate is expected to escalate with the onset of winter,” the report warns. “It is imperative to address the acute hunger crisis before its peak in December and February to prevent significant loss of life.” The Federation attributes the worsening crisis to a combination of long-term droughts, natural disasters, population displacement, a sharp rise in living costs, food insecurity, and rampant unemployment.
Without urgent intervention, the report predicts a severe surge in malnutrition-related deaths, particularly among children under five. Additionally, it notes that the heavy snowfall expected in Paktika and Kandahar will soon isolate many regions, posing substantial challenges to the delivery of essential supplies and worsening the already dire nutritional conditions.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the report stresses that pregnant women are at risk of giving birth to low-weight infants or those with congenital disorders. Amidst this humanitarian crisis, the Taliban has reportedly bolstered its military presence in Kandahar, constructing an extensive infrastructure dedicated to safeguarding Akhundzada. Although the exact size of this elite military force remains undisclosed, some estimates suggest a figure between 20,000 and 40,000 fighters, constituting the military backbone of the Taliban leadership.
