Afghanistan

In Ukraine, the Humanitarian Coordinator there called for Moscow’s attacks on critical infrastructure to stop, as thousands face harsh winter conditions amid a new round of weekend attacks. According to local authorities, between 23 January and today, those attacks killed and injured several civilians, including children.

In Syria, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was able to access Al Hol camp, together with Syrian Government officials, and established contact with some residents. Essential supplies resumed following a three-day interruption, with bread trucks facilitated by UNHCR entering the camp today, and water trucks yesterday..

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Abukar Dahir Osman (Somalia):

Launching its Humanitarian Action for Children 2026 appeal today, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking $7.66 billion to provide life-saving support to 73 million children in 133 countries next year. This comes as severe shortfalls in 2024 and 2025 are forcing UNICEF to make impossible choices.

As Afghanistan faces several escalating crises and an extreme humanitarian emergency, the resilience of its people is being severely tested, senior UN officials today warned the Security Council, calling for urgent international action to alleviate the suffering and steer the country onto the right path.

A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme warns that acute food insecurity is deepening in 16 hunger hotspots, which threatens to drive millions more into famine or risk of famine. Of highest concern are Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen.

The UN and its partners are scaling up their response following the earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan on Monday, as authorities report that 25 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 injured. Immediate priorities include emergency shelter, warm clothing, cash for heating and repair kits for damaged homes, along with mobile health clinics.

The Central Emergency Response Fund has released $4 million to scale up the response to Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, providing food, health, water, shelter, logistics and sanitation and hygiene support. More members of a UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team arrived in Jamaica today.

The UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) published a report on the far-reaching human rights impacts of last month’s telecommunications shutdowns in the country, citing delayed or no access to healthcare and emergency services, and disruption to humanitarian operations, among them.

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, while traveling from Cairo to Rafah, spoke of how vital that route is as a lifeline for aid going into Gaza. He stressed the need for all the crossings to open to allow for a massive scale-up and start turning the situation on the ground around.