Several residents from the Pur Chaman district in Farah province are expressing their grievances regarding the distribution of humanitarian aid. They assert that the process is marred by direct intervention from Taliban members and an unfair allocation of resources among villages, resulting in an unjust distribution system. According to the residents, the Taliban prioritize their own interests, followed by their acquaintances and relatives, when allocating aid. Meanwhile, numerous individuals in need within the district are being deprived of both monetary and non-monetary assistance. It is worth noting that previous reports of Taliban interference in aid distribution have prompted aid organizations to halt their operations.
Following the Taliban’s resurgence and the worsening poverty conditions, relief organizations have intensified their efforts to alleviate hunger among the population. However, there have been reports of direct involvement by Taliban commanders and militants in the storage and distribution of aid. Complaints indicate that the commanders selectively allocate aid to specific areas or distribute it among the families of militants who lost their lives in battles.
Residents of Pur Chaman district in Farah province express their dissatisfaction with the unfair distribution of aid within the district, where only certain villages, individuals, relatives, and Taliban members seem to benefit. Some residents from remote villages in Pur Chaman district have informed Hasht-e Subh Daily that cash assistance from organizations is being channeled primarily to central villages within Pur Chaman, including undeserving recipients. These residents highlight the fact that despite the presence of many vulnerable individuals in surrounding villages, no assistance reaches them.
Fazl Ahmad, a resident of Qaisar village in Pur Chaman district, Farah province, voices his complaint about the unfair distribution process of relief in the district. He asserts that deserving individuals are being overlooked, while aid from organizations is being given to those who don’t require it. He states, “The Taliban’s influence is prevalent over the organizations. They distribute aid to the villages they choose, regardless of their eligibility. Hungry people are left without assistance, while those recommended by the Taliban receive aid. This has been the criteria in our district for the past two years. Our village received aid once from WFP, but it only reached 30 percent of those in need. Since then, I swear to God, we haven’t seen any help, but we hear every day about which village receives aid, how much is distributed to certain villages, all of which are controlled by the Taliban.”
Abdul Aziz, residing in Vaasap village, Pur Chaman district, highlights the disparity in aid distribution. While some families have received cash assistance in three phases, impoverished families in remote villages have been left without even basic food aid. He attributes this exclusion of needy individuals to Taliban interference and the selective allocation of aid to specific areas. Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, Abdul Aziz shares, “Except for a negligible amount of food supplies distributed by WFP once, we have not received any assistance. Cash aid, which has yet to reach our area, has been given three times to neighboring villages and central villages of Pur Chaman district such as Maidaanak, Lughjan, Noorabad, Sabz Anaar, and Tuli, even though those individuals were undeserving.”
This resident of Vaasap village reveals that the distribution of aid is also being prioritized by the Taliban. He states, “They state that the mujahideen should be the first to benefit, followed by their own people and then their families. Additionally, even elderly and influential individuals who were loyal to the Taliban have received assistance. The Taliban themselves assert that the mujahideen are deserving and should receive priority in distribution. The allocated funds are solely distributed among their own people and tribes, while other needy and impoverished individuals are deprived of financial aid.”
Previously, there were reports of Taliban commanders distributing aid selectively to chosen individuals and areas. It is not only in Pur Chaman district but also in other regions where the Taliban have deprived the poor and needy of relief assistance. In Ghor province, the Taliban have also reclaimed aid provided by organizations and distributed it among themselves or, as they claim, allocated it to “road construction.”
