KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains “extremely dire,” with millions in urgent need of assistance, the director general of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned following his recent visit to the country.
Pierre Krähenbühl, ICRC chief, following his seven-day trip to Afghanistan, emphasized the critical need to maintain neutral, impartial, and independent humanitarian efforts to support Afghanistan’s most vulnerable communities. Despite mounting challenges, he reaffirmed the ICRC’s commitment to continuing its operations in the country.
“This is the result of four decades of war that have affected virtually every Afghan family,” Krähenbühl said. “I met patients at the ICRC’s physical rehabilitation center in Kabul and saw how important and life changing the work can be, such as providing mine victims with prosthesis and helping them walk again.”
His remarks come as humanitarian organizations struggle to maintain operations under Taliban-imposed restrictions, which have hindered aid delivery and complicated relief efforts. Krähenbühl stressed the need to ensure impartial and non-discriminatory humanitarian access to assist communities in need.
The ICRC has been present in Afghanistan for over 40 years, working to support communities affected by conflict and crises, including economic hardship, climate risks, and a lack of access to essential services.
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has continued to deteriorate since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, making it one of the world’s most severe crises. The UN estimates that nearly 24 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian aid, with the World Food Programme (WFP) warning that at least 15 million—one in three—are facing acute food insecurity.
A surge in returnees, widespread displacement, and recent natural disasters, including devastating earthquakes and floods, have exacerbated the crisis, deepening poverty and unemployment across the country.
