Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Tuesday, March 19th, 2024

Ghazni IDPs: Worsening Condition with Entering the Cold Season

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Ghazni IDPs: Worsening Condition  with Entering the Cold Season

Hundreds of families who have been displaced due to the recent conflicts in Ghazni districts (Jaghori, Urazgan and Malistan) are living under harsh living conditions with entering the winter season. From one hand, they have lost everything in war. For example their livestocks were perished, their winter fuels have been ignited, their houses were destroyed, and their properties were looted.  Now, they do not have any way of living to cope with their basic needs such as food and accommodation. On the other hand, the fear and concerns of Taliban aggressions are not completely dispelled. Some of the displaced families are still live in the west of Kabul while faced with numerous problems.  From among the displaced families of Gehazni and Uruzgan, nearly hundreds of them are living at a mosque in the west of Kabul and the rest are living in other places, mostly at mosques. A number of them are burdened on their relative families in Kabul or Ghazni province while neither have a right condition to go back or stay.
Families are complaining about lack of hygiene, fuel and other materials needed for the cold weather, dozens of them are getting sick every day.  According to the families, they want to return homes, but insecurity in their districts has forced them to stay in Kabul.  “The situation is not good there. The schools are closed and teachers are all here,” quoted from Juma Khan, member of a displaced family.  “Before this there was no war in (Jaghori), but now we are afraid and cannot go back,” said Nazanin, member of a displaced family.  A young displaced boy, Farhad, said he along with his four brothers, mother and father were injured in clashes between security forces and Taliban in Jaghori district earlier this month.  “The clashes have displaced the people. Before that, I was in school and had schedule for my activities,” Farhad said.  
“We were studying our lessons, but we have not attended our exams. We are here right now and we are faced with lack of food and every day we are sick,” said Ali Ahmad, a resident of Ghazni who has been displaced to Kabul. Although in a corner of the mosque there are separate places for the displaced families to prepare food and wash their cloths, but they said the facilities are not enough and that they will face more challenges as the weather is getting cold.  “The situation has not changed, still there is war,” said Gul Bakht, a displaced resident of Ghazni. The families said they are supported by local people in terms of food, accommodation, clothing and other necessary items.  “At least 240 people are living here in a space of 30 to 40 square meters. It is about two weeks they are living in this space which even has not enough oxygen,” said Haji Shah Wali, a local resident. 
In the meantime, a praying ceremony was held in another part of Kabul for 52 people who, their relatives say, they lost their lives in recent clashes in Jaghori, Malistan and Khas Uruzgan districts.  “Over 50 families have held the praying ceremony in this mosque and every family has lost their members who were mostly their breadwinners,” said Ahmad Shah Nawazi, a resident of Jaghori.  “There are lots of concerns regarding Jaghori, because if the people return to their homes, there is no guarantee over their security,” said Fahim Sadiqi, a resident of Jaghori. While the families raised concerns over continued insecurity in their provinces that has forced them to remain in Kabul, the Interior Ministry said security will be maintained in Jaghori, Malistan and Khas Uruzgan districts.
Statistics by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) show that around 4,000 families have been displaced due to recent fights in central region, Ghazni province. However, the situation in some regions has turned normal there. Most of the Residents of Uruzgan, Malistan and Jaghori went back but the bordered area with Taliban is still under treats.  The clashes in Jaghori district started last month and Taliban launched coordinated attacks from few directions on the district. Following the attack on Jaghori, Taliban attacked on the neighbor district, Malistan. The clashes between security forces and Taliban continued for around two weeks which was followed by sharp critics from the public. 
Similar attacks have been increasingly carried out on Hazara community in recent years. Taliban and IS have been accused of committing human rights violations against certain group of people. In the capital, Kabul, Hazaras have suffered repeated violence. Hundreds have died in the attacks, which have targeted Hazara protests, Shi’ite mosques, and shrines. IS has invariably claimed such attacks to create sectarian division in the country. Afghan authorities accept the recent fighting has forced thousands of Hazara families to seek shelter in the city of Ghazni, Bamyan and Kabul.

Mohammad Zahir Akbari is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at mohammadzahirakbari@gmail.com

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