New York, Dec 10 (Petra)- The United Nations Security Council discussed the situation in Afghanistan Wednesday, receiving a briefing on the humanitarian crisis from Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher.

Fletcher said that around 22 million Afghans will need humanitarian assistance in 2026, ranking Afghanistan third globally in terms of humanitarian crises, after Sudan and Yemen.

"We are requesting $1.7 billion to target 17.5 million people. We have elevated our plan to a top priority to reach 3.9 million people in urgent need of aid, requiring $375.9 million," he added.

Fletcher noted that "for the first time in four years, the number of people facing hunger has increased to 17.4 million. Essential services are under immense pressure as Afghan refugees return to the country in record numbers, with over 2.6 million returning in 2025, bringing the total over the past two years to more than four million."

He stressed that "the situation of these returnees is extremely precarious. Many arrive with minimal belongings and are hosted by communities already under financial strain and lacking the resources to accommodate them, within an economy unable to meet their basic needs."

//Petra// AF

10/12/2025 22:54:53