World Food Programme Begins Food Aid Distribution to Families Displaced by Afghanistan-Pakistan Clashes

The World Food Programme has started distributing emergency food aid to more than 20,000 families displaced by clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In the first phase, nutritious biscuits are being provided to meet urgent food needs. The most vulnerable families will later receive food or cash assistance for two months. Specialized nutrition products have also been allocated for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers to prevent malnutrition.

The aid targets displaced families in eight eastern and southern provinces: Nuristan, Kunar and Nangarhar in the east, and Paktia, Khost, Paktika, Zabul and Kandahar in the south.

John Ayliffe, head of the World Food Programme in Afghanistan, said the people of Afghanistan are facing multiple crises simultaneously, including increased clashes along the Durand Line between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the effects of regional tensions, and the spread of hunger and malnutrition.

Ariana News reported that one in every three Afghans needs urgent food aid, with about 17.4 million people facing severe food insecurity. It also cited World Food Programme projections that 3.7 million children will require treatment for malnutrition this year.

Ayliffe noted that the closure of trade routes and heightened regional tensions have raised risks of price increases and shortages of essential goods in Afghan markets. Pajhwok Afghan News added that the closure of roads between Afghanistan and Pakistan, along with intensified conflict in the Middle East, pose serious challenges to the agency's emergency response.