Dozens Of Humanitarian Projects Suspended Due To Taliban Interference, Says UN

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Afghanistan said that 83 humanitarian aid projects were temporarily suspended in September this year due to 173 incidents.

The office said that 98 percent of these cases occurred due to the Taliban's interference, and these incidents increased by 66 percent compared to last year.

According to a report released by OCHA on Tuesday, October 22, two facilities in Afghanistan were temporarily closed in September this year, and one project was moved to another location.

Among the incidents, the southern, eastern and western regions of the country suffered the most, respectively, the organisation added.

According to the report, these incidents included interference in humanitarian activities, violence against employees, and restrictions on the movement of institutions, employees, or goods within the country.

The OCHA report shows that during this period, nine humanitarian operations employees were arrested by the Taliban and three establishments were forcibly closed.

"These incidents continuously disrupt the operational environment, where the safety of human workers is at stake," OCHA added.

In September, 73 cases of direct Taliban interference in the implementation of programmes, 35 cases of interference in the recruitment of employees, 19 cases of interference in requesting sensitive information from employees, five cases of influencing the supply of goods, five cases of limiting the participation of female employees, and three cases related to women's clothing were reported.

According to the report, other instances of Taliban interference have also been reported, including illegal tax requests, confiscation of aid, delays in signing documents, and the employment of facilities.

The report shows that after the Taliban's law for the promotion of virtue was signed, the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue has interfered in humanitarian activities in 48 cases.

According to OCHA, these interventions included surveillance visits to offices, staff detentions, segregation of work spaces, requests for sensitive information, and dress requirements for female employees.