- publish: 5 October 2015
- time: 9:35 pm
- category: Politics
- No: 1578
Ministers of Refugees and Social Affairs faced questioning by MPs over Kunduz displaced
At least 6,000 people have been left homeless after fleeing the city of Kunduz last week, deputy minister of refugees and repatriations Fazel Ahmad Azimi told lawmakers on Monday, adding that the majority of those who left the city sought refuge in Badakhshan, Kabul, Takhar and Baghlan provinces.
On Sunday, Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament) summoned ministers of Refugees and Repatriations and Social Affairs to answer questions on the overall situation and issues facing the refugees who fled their homes in Kunduz in an effort to escape the brutality of the Taliban, following the fall of the city to the insurgents.
“Unrest in recent months in Kunduz has left hundreds of residents homeless and more were added to the number after the fall of the city – can you explain what you have done for these families,” Kunduz MP Kamal Safai asked the ministers.
“Lawmakers had numerous questions about relief and rescue efforts for the displaced families and it appears that the relief and rescue efforts are moving at quite a slow pace,” speaker of Lower House, Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said.
Discussing the aftermath of the fall of Kunduz, Azimi said that the collapse of the city has left at least 6,000 people homeless. He stressed that humanitarian organizations are struggling to provide displaced families with necessary assistance.
“So far more than 6,000 residents have been left homeless, along with international humanitarian organizations, the Afghan government has also allocated nine million Afs in financial aid to help the displaced who took shelter in Takhar and Badakhshan provinces,” he said.
Meanwhile, minister of labor and social affairs Nasrin Oryakhail has expressed frustration over the persistent issue of security threats and political turmoil in the country, saying that the issue is adding to the refugee crisis and is contributing to the increase in unemployment and the economic slowdown.
“Security threats and unemployment are interrelated. Rise of unemployment is forcing many youths to join insurgents, an issue which naturally increases the problems,” she said.
The Taliban attacked the Afghan strategic town of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan last Monday. The siege lasted six days until Afghan security forces managed to wrest the city back for the insurgents.
Reacting to the fall of Kunduz, rights groups on Sunday accused insurgents of committing major crimes during the siege and called for the perpetrators behind the attack to be brought to justice.