Red Cross Secretary General: The Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan Remains Dire

According to a statement from the committee's office, Mr. Krähenbühl traveled to Afghanistan last week and, during this trip, met with Taliban officials, patients, and recipients of humanitarian services. He also reviewed the committee's activities in response to Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis.

The Secretary General of the International Red Cross Committee, referring to the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on humanitarian activities, emphasized the importance of maintaining a neutral, independent, and non-discriminatory space for conducting these activities.

He deemed this space essential for delivering assistance to needy communities and added: "The priority of the International Red Cross Committee is to continue its humanitarian activities to support the most vulnerable individuals, including people with disabilities, detainees, and victims of armed conflicts. However, we and other humanitarian organizations need an environment in which we can provide comprehensive support to those in need and facilitate access to humanitarian services for everyone, including men, women, and children—especially in the health sector."

The International Red Cross Committee also emphasized that it is engaging with the Taliban to provide safe and effective humanitarian assistance.

It is noteworthy that, according to United Nations statistics, 22.9 million people in Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance this year.