KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN reports a significant increase in Taliban interference in humanitarian operations, warning that it is disrupting life-saving aid for millions in Afghanistan.
In its latest report, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said interference increased by 14% in July compared to the previous month. The agency documented 104 incidents, with 95% attributed to the Taliban authorities.
OCHA said the restrictions forced the temporary suspension of 44 humanitarian activities and the closure of one health facility. Central Afghanistan saw the highest number of incidents, followed by the east and the south.
Most cases involved direct interference, including demands for staff lists and confidential data, obstruction of programs, and blocking women and girls from accessing services. Other incidents included pressure on recruitment and procurement, delays in signing project agreements, enforcement of Islamic dress codes, and rules requiring male guardians to accompany female aid workers.
According to OCHA, Taliban officials also sent formal letters to aid groups demanding access to sensitive information, including personal staff records and project details. The requests were rejected but raised concerns over the safety and privacy of staff and beneficiaries.
Gender-based restrictions accounted for 16% of incidents in July. These included halting training for female staff, suspending programs needing women’s participation, ordering female workers out of operational areas, and banning their travel, even with a male guardian. These restrictions alone led to the suspension of nine humanitarian activities last month, OCHA said.
The agency linked the increase in restrictions to the Taliban’s enforcement of its so-called “law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”. Since the law came into force, 728 cases of interference have been documented, 22 of them in July.
According to the report, violence against aid workers also rose sharply last month. Eleven incidents were recorded, including the detention of three humanitarian staff, four times higher than the previous month.
Despite these challenges, OCHA said aid agencies continue to operate under increasingly difficult conditions. It warned that further disruption could worsen an already severe humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where over half the population depends on assistance.
