Hours after the devastating earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday evening, a Taliban Foreign Ministry spokesperson admitted to Reuters that “no government has yet offered to send rescue teams.” As the death toll continues to rise, particularly in Kunar province, which has borne the brunt of the disaster, the United Arab Emirates announced on Monday that it had dispatched a search and rescue team along with humanitarian aid to the region.
Russia, which maintains warm relations with the Taliban, stated that it is considering the group’s request for assistance to earthquake victims.
Search and rescue teams are critical to reducing casualties and saving lives, especially in areas where survivors are trapped under the rubble of collapsed mud homes. Videos from districts like Nurgal, Watapur, and Chapadara in Kunar show locals using shovels, spades, and even pieces of wood to dig out their relatives and neighbors, with no sign of international rescue teams.
The United Nations has warned that the death toll in the affected areas could rise in the coming hours. The Taliban government must convince countries with which it has close ties to send rescue teams. However, most of these countries have limited their response to condolences and sending relief supplies.
It appears that some earthquake victims will become casualties of the Taliban’s strained relations with the international community.
Solidarity, But Not with the Taliban
In other countries, devastating earthquakes often trigger a wave of solidarity and practical assistance from both allies and adversaries. For example, during the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, which killed 19,000 people, India extended a helping hand to its long-time rival. However, then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf declined the offer due to political sensitivities.
This time, India has limited its response to sending relief supplies, leaving the Taliban to manage the massive rescue operation in eastern Afghanistan alone.
In contrast, the 2023 earthquake in Turkey saw an overwhelming international response. Within hours, Azerbaijan, India, and Pakistan sent rescue teams, while the United States later joined with over 200 specialists and search dogs. France, the UK, and Italy also dispatched medical teams and equipment. Russia, China, Malaysia, and the UAE were among the many countries that provided on-the-ground assistance.
In other disasters, such as the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake, international teams played a crucial role in rescue operations.
International Response to Afghanistan’s Earthquake
Globally, the response to the earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has so far been limited to issuing statements and sending small amounts of aid.
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing is ready to help “based on Afghanistan’s needs and within its capacity.” India has delivered 1,000 tents and 15 tons of food to Kunar, promising more aid.
In the U.S., the State Department has only issued a condolence message on social media, with no mention of sending aid. Notably, all messages express solidarity with the Afghan people, with no reference to the Taliban or their self-proclaimed “Islamic Emirate.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that UN offices in Afghanistan are ready to assist the victims and have allocated $5 million for relief operations in eastern Afghanistan.
The UN and its partner agencies are expected to issue an emergency appeal for aid to the earthquake victims. However, aid organizations are facing funding shortages, as humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan has dropped to $767 million this year, compared to $3.8 billion in 2022.
Why the Lack of Assistance?
The UN Security Council, in Resolution 2615 (2021), clarified that humanitarian aid to Afghanistan does not violate sanctions. In December 2022, Resolution 2664 established permanent exemptions for humanitarian aid in all sanction regimes.
However, many countries remain reluctant to engage with the Taliban due to widespread human rights violations, particularly the ban on women working for NGOs and international organizations. Additionally, the Taliban’s lack of international recognition complicates administrative processes, such as issuing visas and customs exemptions, which are essential for deploying rescue teams.
The Taliban’s internal policies, including the ban on women’s employment, have also disrupted humanitarian programs. According to UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the active and equal participation of women is crucial in all levels of crisis response and post-disaster management.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has emphasized that restrictions on women’s participation are a significant obstacle to delivering aid. Many international teams and governments are hesitant to send teams without female members.
Security concerns, including threats from ISIS-K and the lack of guarantees for the safety of international teams, further deter countries from sending aid.
What Has the Taliban Done?
Domestically, the Taliban has been forced to rely on limited resources in the absence of international assistance. The group’s Prime Minister’s Office has established a special committee and allocated 100 million Afghanis for relief efforts, with promises of more funding if needed.
The Taliban’s Ministries of Interior, Defense, and Public Health, along with provincial governors and disaster management teams, have been involved in transporting the injured and recovering bodies. Over 40 flights have been conducted from Nangarhar Airport alone, transporting hundreds to medical centers.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense has claimed that its rescue teams and military aircraft are active in the affected areas, with 83 helicopter flights conducted and over 1,000 injured people evacuated.
However, the Taliban’s restrictive media policies have made it difficult to assess the full extent of their rescue operations. Images released by the Taliban focus mainly on the use of helicopters to transport the injured, with no detailed reports on rescue teams or the distribution of aid.
Discover more from Kokcha News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
