Secretary-General Deeply Saddened by Earthquake in Afghanistan, Extends Sincere Condolences to Families of Victims

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the loss of life caused by the earthquake which struck near Herat City in western Afghanistan earlier today.

The Secretary-General expresses his solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, extends his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured.

The United Nations and our partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to swiftly assess needs and provide emergency assistance.

As winter approaches, the Secretary-General calls on the international community to come together and support people impacted by the earthquake, many of whom were already in need before this crisis.