Leading UK charities have launched a joint winter appeal to save the lives of 8 million people at risk of starvation in Afghanistan, as aid workers in the country warn of a “small window of opportunity” to intervene.
A combination of conflict, economic collapse, drought and the Covid-19 pandemic has brought the country to a tipping point, according to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), the umbrella group of 15 aid agencies behind the appeal.
Fiona McSheehy, director of humanitarian operations for Save the Children UK, said: “There’s a very small window of opportunity for us to support the population of Afghanistan. The situation is very bad at the moment. Winter is coming very quickly now.