July 14, 2021

Anna Murray 

Austin Scott Miller, the four-star general in charge of the US Army's war in Afghanistan, handed over command on July 12 at a ceremony in Kabul and quietly left the country, some 20 years after US and NATO forces first arrived. Over 2,500 US troops and 7,500 NATO troops have now departed, leaving Afghan forces to deal with an aggressive Taliban.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued a warning that a humanitarian crisis is looming in Afghanistan as the conflict rages on, causing increased human suffering and civilian displacement. According to UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch, since January 2021, 270,000 Afghans have been newly displaced within the country, primarily due to insecurity and violence, bringing the total uprooted population to more than 3.5 million.

The Afghan government and the UN said, Afghanistan requires US$953 million in humanitarian aid and US$200 million to US$250 million in development programs. According to the assessment, titled “Joint Humanitarian Appeal,” over 18 million Afghans will require humanitarian assistance as a result of conflicts, coronavirus, and drought.

As insurgents rise, the country appears to be in crisis. According to the UNHCR, Iran and Pakistan are safe havens for nearly 90% of all displaced Afghans, with over two million registered Afghan refugees. On July 14, former US President George W. Bush criticized NATO's withdrawal from Afghanistan, claiming that civilians were being abandoned to be slaughtered by the Taliban.

Photo:webshot.