International - November 8, 2021

Afghans facing ‘hell on earth’ as winter looms

Afghans facing 'hell on earth' as winter looms

abrempongradiogh November 8, 2021

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This is a country that is starting to feel the very real fear of hunger.

The weather is turning from early autumn warmth to a sharp chill. Several areas are reporting drought, which adds to the sense of growing catastrophe.

At Maidan Wardak, 50 miles west of Kabul, a crowd of several hundred men had gathered in the hope of getting flour from an official distribution point. The flour was provided the World Food Programme.

Taliban soldiers kept the crowd reasonably quiet, but people who were told they weren’t eligible for a hand-out were angry and frightened.

“The winter is nearly here,” said one old man. “I don’t know how I’ll get through it if I can’t make bread.”

The WFP is faced with having to raise its supplies to Afghanistan to help more than 22 million people.

If the weather is as bad as experts are predicting this winter, the expectation is that large numbers will be threatened with acute hunger and widespread famine.

We’re now looking at the worst humanitarian crisis on Earth”

I spoke to the executive director of the WFP, David Beasley, when he paid a visit to Kabul on Sunday.

His analysis of the situation was alarming.

“It is as bad as you possibly can imagine,” said Mr Beasley. “In fact, we’re now looking at the worst humanitarian crisis on Earth.

“Ninety-five percent of the people don’t have enough food, and now we’re looking at 23 million people marching towards starvation,” he added. “The next six months are going to be catastrophic. It is going to be hell on Earth.”