It’s been over a week since the devastating floods hit Ghor province. During this time, the Taliban have made no efforts to clean up Firozkoh City, rescue trapped individuals, or recover belongings from the mud. Consequently, many rural roads remain impassable. Residents, faced with the Taliban’s indifference to relief efforts, have taken matters into their own hands, using basic tools. Some residents estimate that the recent floods have destroyed nearly 10,000 homes, over 3,000 shops, and thousands of acres of farmland, leading to the deaths of hundreds of livestock. Additionally, the Herat-Ghor highway remains shut due to flood-induced road damage.
Several residents of Ghor state that they have initiated local relief efforts in the province. They mention that the locals have also started the work to clear the flow of the Marghab River. They emphasize that they have no expectation of assistance from the Taliban, as, according to Ghor residents, the group has no plans to manage the flood crisis and disaster in this province.
Noor Ahmad, a resident of Asparaf village in Marghab district, says that people in this village have collected aid and distributed it to the residents of Jandak village, which the flood has severely damaged. According to him, Jandak village has been completely destroyed, and its residents are at risk of famine.
Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, this resident of Asparaf village of the Marghab district says, “We were all hit by the flood and became unfortunate. The flood took everything from some villages and caused less damage in others. It severely damaged the village of Jandak, destroying the entire village to the extent that they don’t even have a piece of dry bread to eat.”
He adds, “People have been starving for a week. During this time, the Taliban did not provide any assistance. When we saw that all the residents of Jandak were dying of hunger, everyone contributed what they could—blankets, mattresses, pillows, oil, flour, and dry bread—and we gave it to the people of Jandak village. If it weren’t for the local assistance, all the residents of Jandak village would have died of hunger.”
The dire situation of the flood victims, especially in Jandak village, has prompted residents of the villages of Jah, Saldiz, Dahur, Palbay, Raqskon, Shuraba, and Asfaraman to collect and transport aid, including clothing and food, to Jandak using “donkey” and “mules” due to the blocked roads.
The Taliban’s indifference towards citizens and the lack of any organized plans from the group have forced the residents of Firozkoh to organize a public effort to clear the roads.
Abdul Aziz, a resident of Firozkoh City, the capital of Ghor province, states, “The floods caused severe damage throughout our province, including Firozkoh City, and destroyed the city’s roads. For two days, we hoped the Taliban officials would deploy equipment to clean the city’s roads, but that didn’t happen. So, all the people came together, and now we are working. We have cleared many of the city’s streets and canals, and we are still busy. If we, the people, hadn’t taken action, the canals and markets would still be filled with mud and sand because no government entity felt accountable and responsible.”
Moreover, several weeks have passed since the blockage of the Marghab River, causing several villages in the districts of Marghab and Charsada to be submerged. The Taliban have not taken any action to clear the water channels, and the locals have had to take matters into their own hands with the most basic tools.
A resident of Marghab district says that three weeks have passed since the blockage of the Marghab River, but the Taliban have done nothing to open it. Due to the threat of rising water levels, the people have taken action themselves.
This resident of this district adds, “The Taliban did nothing for us. The floods destroyed homes and shops, but the Taliban took no action. Now the Marghab River’s path is blocked. Weeks have passed, but the Taliban haven’t taken a single step to open the waterway. The risk of the river’s water level rising increases daily, so we had to act ourselves.”
He continues, “People in the Shah wa Arus Valley are using their homemade boats, which could sink at any moment, to try to open the river’s path. We were forced to do this. Otherwise, clearing the waterway with shovels and picks is extremely difficult. The Taliban regime didn’t provide us with any machinery. We had to rely on our minimal and basic tools.”
It is noteworthy that more than a week after the devastating floods in Firozkoh City, the capital of Ghor province, the roads in nearby villages, which are 25 kilometers from the provincial center, remain blocked, and the Taliban have taken no action to open them.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
سیلابهای ویرانگر و بیتفاوتی طالبان؛ باشندهگان غور برای بازگشایی راهها دست به کار شدند
