Afghanistan: Thousands displaced as Taliban offensive on Kandahar continues

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Thousands remain displaced in a camp in Kandahar amid an ongoing Taliban offensive on the Afghan-government held city on Thursday.

“The distribution of food has stopped since yesterday, we are yet to receive food. Either the traders don’t care about us if we are thirsty or hungry, or the government is busy with the clashes and doesn’t care about us,” commented Mohammad Qasim, an internally displaced person from the Helmand province.

“If they cared about us, they would not evacuate us from Helmand, they told us to leave because they cannot identify between civilians and the Taliban, and they want to bomb Helmand,” added Qasim.

The Taliban have previously made claims that they have established control over the city on social media.

According to Doost Mohammad Nayab, Director at Kandahar Refugee and Repatriation Affairs Department, the number of displaced families in Kandahar has risen to 35,000 in the past month.

The Taliban have been making substantial territorial gains ahead of the complete US troops withdrawal scheduled for August 31, with ten provincial capitals seized within the last week.

SOUNDBITES:

SOT, Bakhtawara, Internally displaced person (Pashto): “I came here with three people, I swear I left with one set of clothes as I dressed, they (the Taliban) took my clothes. I was living in Qasab Chiyan near Kandahar Adda, around midnight I got on the transportation vehicle. I swear, if I lied you can hang me, it is true that I and my grandchildren left that area.” *LOOSE TRANSLATION AT SOURCE*

SOT, Mohammad Qasim, Internally displaced person (Pashto): “The distribution of food has stopped since yesterday, we are yet to receive food. Either the traders don’t care about us, if we are thirsty or hungry, or the government is busy with the clashes and doesn’t care about us. If they cared about us, they would not evacuate us from Helmand, they told us to leave because they cannot identify between civilians and the Taliban, and we want to bomb Helmand. We want to stabilise Helmand and we want to free Helmand. I have been displaced here but don’t receive any aid support.” *LOOSE TRANSLATION AT SOURCE*

SOT, Gul Jan, Internally displaced person (Pashto): “I am a widow, I left the clashes and came here, I have been displaced because of the Taliban fighting. There was conflict, bombardments and I had to leave. It has been two years since I became widowed, and I have ten family members, I am here alone, and I don’t have any supporting person at home.” *LOOSE TRANSLATION AT SOURCE*

SOT, Doost Mohammad Nayab, Director at Kandahar Refugee and Repatriation Affairs Department (Pashto): “For the past month in Kandahar, the IDPs (internally displaced persons) numbers raised to 35,000 families, among them approximately 5,000 families were placed in the 23 different refugee camps, especially those who had no shelter. Kandahar Refugee and Repatriation Affairs Department has launched its first distributions in these camps that have registered at least 1,500 families in the past month as newly displaced and they are being helped.” *LOOSE TRANSLATION AT SOURCE*

#AfghanistanConflict #Afghanistan #Taliban

Video ID: 20210812-033

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