Afghanistan: Nearly 10 million children in need of humanitarian aid, says UNICEF

There are nearly 10 million children in Afghanistan "in desperate need of humanitarian aid", said UNICEF Afghanistan Representative, Herve Ludovic De Lys, adding that these children were deprived of their right to a healthy and protected childhood.

"Those least responsible for this crisis, are paying the highest price -- including the children killed and injured in a series of atrocities in Kabul since last Thursday", the senior UN Children's Fund official said.

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"Again, today, I heard of more unsettling reports - of unaccompanied children across the country...more reports of grave violations, including children being recruited by armed groups...All this in a year in which more than 550 children have been killed, and more than 1400 injured," UNICEF representatives added.

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He said that against a backdrop of conflict and insecurity, children are living in communities that are running out of water because of drought.

"They're missing life-saving vaccines, including against polio, a disease that can paralyze children for life. Many are so malnourished they lie in hospital beds too weak to grasp an outstretched finger," he said. "These children are deprived of their right to a healthy and protected childhood", he added.

Earlier on Monday, a UN shipment carrying lifesaving medical supplies reached Afghanistan by air. It was the first UN shipment since the Taliban takeover on August 15.

Announcing the news, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the successful airlift meant that it could "partially replenish" health facilities' reserves and ensure that services can continue, for now.

Some 12.5 metric tonnes of supplies arrived in the northern airport of Mazar-i-Sharif, aboard a plane provided by the Government of Pakistan, UN News reported.

-PTC News