US announces $308M in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan

WASHINGTON

The US announced Tuesday more than $308 million in humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan.

"This brings total U.S. humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in the region to nearly $782 million since October 2021, and we remain the single largest donor of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan," National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said in a statement.

Washington will also provide Afghanistan with 1 million additional COVID-19 vaccine doses through the COVAX facility, bringing its total to 4.3 million doses, said Horne.

"The United States is committed to supporting the Afghan people and we continue to consider all options available to us. We stand with the people of Afghanistan," she added.

Afghanistan’s plight is one of the world’s most rapidly growing humanitarian crises, according to UN aid agencies.

The UN and its partners launched a more than $5 billion funding appeal Tuesday for Afghanistan.

The Taliban overran Afghanistan in August ahead of the US withdrawal from the country. Their 2020 military offensive saw government forces collapse and officials flee the nation of roughly 39 million.