Afghanistan: Weekly Humanitarian Update (11 May – 17 May 2020)

Northeast: 1,750 people displaced by ongoing fighting in Takhar

Fighting between Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and a Non-State Armed Group (NSAG) continued in the northeast. Reportedly, 250 families (approximately 1,750 people) were displaced as a result of ongoing fighting in Takhar province.

Flash floods caused by heavy rainfall affected 34 households (238 people) in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces.
Humanitarian assistance reached 5,957 people affected by conflict and natural disasters in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces. Furthermore, 833 people displaced by conflict were identified by interagency assessment teams to receive humanitarian assistance in Baghlan province in the coming days.

East: Increase in violence resulted in civilian casualties

Fighting between ANSF and an NSAG continued across the east. On 12 May, 24 people were reportedly killed and 68 people wounded in a suicide attack at the funeral of a local ANSF commander in Nangarhar province. The Islamic State of Khorasan (IS-K) claimed responsibility for this attack.

A total of 1,708 people affected by natural disasters and conflict received relief items, food, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and cash assistance in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.
In addition, 5,410 returnees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and people from host communities were reached with emergency outpatient health services. A total of 270 children were vaccinated for polio and measles.

Interagency assessment teams identified 2,604 people to receive humanitarian assistance in the coming days across the east.
On 16 May, 13,550 Afghan nationals returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan through Torkham border. Since 16 March, a total of 55,000 Afghan nationals returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan through Torkham border and nearly, 3,000 Pakistani nationals returned to Pakistan during the same period. Movements of cargo and trucks continued through the Torkham border crossing six days a week.

North: 4,760 people affected by flash floods received humanitarian aid

Clashes between ANSF and an NSAG continued across the north. Interagency assessment teams verified 1,407 people affected by landslides in Faryab province and 1,379 people displaced by conflict in Balkh, Faryab, Sar-e-Pul and Jawzjan provinces. In addition, 4,760 people affected by flash floods received humanitarian assistance in Faryab and Samangan provinces.

South: 700 people displaced in Hilmand and Uruzgan

The security situation in the south remains volatile and fighting continued mainly in Hilmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan provinces. According to initial reports, four civilians were killed and three others wounded in two Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonations in Kandahar province. Reportedly, ongoing fighting between ANSF and an NSAG displaced 700 people in Hilmand and Uruzgan provinces with needs assessments underway. During the reporting period, 192 people affected by conflict received food, relief and WASH items across the south.

Centre: Volatile security situation and civilian casualties

On 12 May, a complex attack on the Sad Bistar Hospital, a 100-bed hospital with a maternity ward full of patients and medical staff, took place in the Dasht-e-Barchi area in Police District 13 in Kabul city. Reportedly, 24 people were killed and 16 people injured including mothers and newborn babies. On 14 May, an explosion from a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in Gardez city in Paktya province reportedly caused the deaths and injuries of several civilians. 126,000 vulnerable people will receive cash assistance in Kabul province from a humanitarian partner. Also, 434 people affected by natural disasters were identified by interagency assessment teams to receive humanitarian aid in Bamyan province. Need assessments for 1,659 people affected by natural disasters are ongoing in Kabul, Kapisa, Maydan Wardak and Parwan provinces.

West: Over 44,000 people received food in Hirat

Fighting between ANSF and an NSAG continued across the west.

During the reporting period, 1,852 people affected by conflict and natural disasters were assessed and assisted by humanitarian partners in Badghis, Farah, Ghor and Hirat provinces. Needs assessments of families affected by recent conflict in the west are ongoing.

From 9 to 14 May, 3,116 undocumented returnees came back from Iran, of whom 667 people (21 per cent) received humanitarian assistance at the point of entry and at a transit centre in Hirat city.

Over 44,000 vulnerable people received a two-month food ration across four districts in Hirat province. Over 140,000 people (20,055 vulnerable farming families) were assisted with livestock and agricultural packages, cash for work/unconditional cash transfers, poultry packages and gardening tools in Hirat and Ghor provinces. 4,000 women received silkworm egg boxes and toolkits for home-based sericulture. 2,000 small-holder livestock farmers received concentrated animal feed and fast-growing fodder crops in Farah province.