UN: According to the US State Department, the United States has pledged USD 144 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan "as part of our enduring commitment to the people" of the war-torn country, which is now under Taliban control. According to a statement released by the Department on Thursday, the new addition brings total US humanitarian aid to the country and to Afghan refugees in the region to nearly USD474 million in 2021, making it the largest amount of assistance from any country.

According to the Department, the funding is provided directly to independent humanitarian organisations such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UNICEF, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other international and non-governmental organisations after extensive vetting and monitoring.

"It will allow our partners to provide lifesaving protection, food security assistance, essential health care, winterization assistance, logistics, and emergency food aid in response to the growing humanitarian needs exacerbated by healthcare shortages, Covid-19, drought, malnutrition, and the impending winter," according to the statement. We will continue to support our regional partners with lifesaving assistance and protection services for Afghan refugees, as well as Afghans in need inside Afghanistan, with this new humanitarian funding." The Department went on to say.

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