UNICEF Urges Immediate Aid for Children After Heavy Snowfalls in Afghanistan

Following severe and ongoing heavy snowfalls in parts of Afghanistan that have caused casualties and blocked transportation routes, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for urgent assistance for affected children, especially in the eastern regions of the country.

According to information provided by the Taliban administration, Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, an official at the Ministry of Public Works, stated that due to avalanches and severe storms in the Doshakh Salang area, at least two people have died and twelve others have been injured. He noted that the Salang highway and several other major routes remain closed to traffic.

Haqshenas added that snow removal operations are underway on parts of this highway and other blocked routes, but adverse weather conditions have made reopening these roads difficult.

Meanwhile, local Taliban officials in Herat province announced that due to severe icy conditions, the Herat-Kandahar highway has been completely closed to all vehicles, raising concerns about residents’ access to emergency services and humanitarian aid.