By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL (TURKISH JOURNAL)- Afghanistan is at the brink of a “humanitarian catastrophe” UN chief Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday when he commented that 18 million Afghans are in dire need of humanitarian aid.
Guterres reiterated the urgency of the plight of Afghans and urged the international community to pledge its financial support. He added: “Amid drought and harsh winter conditions” that over half of children under the age of five are in danger of being “malnourished” while most Afghans have no idea where their next meal will come from. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric added that on a daily basis basic human services are becoming virtually non-existent.
Meanwhile, UN Security Council President Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason of Ireland said “the real litmus test” of the new Taliban government will be how they treat women and girls. On Wednesday, Byrne Nason said Afghanistan will be the main focus at the Security Council in September. She added that the protection and promotion of girls and women in Afghanistan must remain a top priority.
In addition, the U.S. military’s General Mark Milley said it’s uncertain what type of government the Taliban will form.
