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🗞️ Driving the news: A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday, killing at least 800 people and injuring over 2,800, according to the Taliban government
• The quake, centered near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, flattened villages in neighboring Kunar and triggered multiple aftershocks
• In response, the Taliban have issued urgent appeals for international aid, warning that limited access, damaged infrastructure, and global funding cuts are hampering relief operations
🔭 The context: This is the third major earthquake to hit Afghanistan since 2021, a period marked by severe humanitarian and economic crises following the Taliban’s return to power
• Since then, most Western aid has been suspended or significantly reduced, with U.S. and European countries halting billions in assistance
• As a result, organizations like the World Food Programme have scaled back operations, limiting support for remote regions now devastated by the quake
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The crisis underscores the growing vulnerabilities of climate- and conflict-affected regions where political isolation and aid dependency collide
• Afghanistan, already battling drought, poverty, and displacement, now faces a compounding disaster exacerbated by limited international engagement
• This raises urgent questions about the global aid architecture and how to ensure disaster resilience in geopolitically complex settings
⏭️ What's next: While the UK, China, and India have pledged emergency assistance, major donors including the United States have yet to commit substantial support
• Relief efforts remain critically underfunded, with UN agencies warning that humanitarian needs could soon surpass those from previous quakes
• Without rapid and coordinated international action, the death toll may rise further and long-term recovery will remain elusive for thousands of survivors
💬 One quote: “We are profoundly fearful for the additional strain that this disaster will have on the overall humanitarian response in Afghanistan,” said Sherine Ibrahim, Afghanistan Country Director for the International Rescue Committee.
📈 One stat: Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has fallen by 80% in three years — from $3.8 billion in 2022 to $767 million in 2025, severely restricting emergency response capacity
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