"Food, water and basic services are very limited in Kunduz city and there is an immediate need to assist people trapped inside their homes. However it is very difficult for NRC and other humanitarian actors to provide assistance due to continued conflict in and around Kunduz,” said Ms. Qurat Sadozai, NRC Country Director in Afghanistan.
NRC, one of the leading humanitarian NGOs in Kunduz, has been forced to temporarily halt operations out of consideration for the safety of our staff. NRC has evacuated 31 staff members from the city. Our office, like other NGOs in Kunduz has been looted but we have so far not been able to fully assess the damage or loss of assets.
NRC strongly condemns the aerial bombing of the hospital run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Kunduz, Afghanistan. ”The attack on the MSF hospital is deeply shocking.I condemn in the strongest terms. A full, independent investigation into the matter needs to be undertaken,” said Mr. Jan Egeland, NRC Secretary-General.
“Neither civilians nor aid workers are protected in this war. The international community must be able to immediately respond to vulnerable families caught in the crossfire. We urgently need a ceasefire to stop the hostilities. Dialogue, not further military action can be the only answer to this conflict that has claimed too many innocent civilian lives,” said Mr Egeland.
With the destruction of their hospital and withdrawal of MSF staff the residents of Kunduz have very limited options for medical assistance, further compounding an already desperate humanitarian situation.
NRC has been operating in Kunduz since 2004, providing assistance to the displaced and vulnerable families through emergency shelter, education and legal assistance. ”We hope the conflict will soon come to an end so that we can resume helping vulnerable families as soon as possible" said Ms. Sadozai.
A high number of people have fled the violence in Kunduz. Emergency assessments are underway in neighbouring provinces, including Takhar, with the aim of assisting the most vulnerable as soon as possible. ”NRC is planning to assist over 1000 families with unconditional cash handouts, which will be our immediate response. We also have over 550 kits of emergency aid packages that are positioned in Mazar which we will be able to distribute once access is possible. Currently the transport of these kits will remain difficult due to roads being blocked,” said Ms. Sadozai.