Taliban: Death Toll from Kunar Earthquake Rises to Over 1,400

Photo: AFP via Aljazeera

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman of the Taliban, announced today, Tuesday (September 2), in a post on social media platform X that the death toll from the deadly Kunar earthquake continues to rise.

According to him, only in the districts of Noorgul, Sowkay, Chapa Dara, Pech Dara, Watapur, and Asadabad, at least 1,411 people have so far lost their lives and 3,124 others have been injured. He added that more than 5,400 houses have been completely destroyed.

Fitrat stated that rescue operations are ongoing in all affected areas, and in locations where helicopters cannot land, Taliban forces have been airlifted to pull survivors from the rubble and transfer the wounded to safer places.

According to the Taliban, a special camp has been set up in Khas Kunar district to coordinate emergency aid, and two other centers have also been established near the disaster site to manage the transfer of the wounded, burial of victims, and rescue of survivors.

Fitrat further said that, in addition to condolence messages, several countries have announced their humanitarian aid for the earthquake victims in Afghanistan, part of which has been handed over to Taliban special committees.