KABUL: Taliban’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Friday urged the international community to help Afghans amid freezing winter and heavy snow.

Baradar, in a video message broadcast by Radio-Television of Afghanistan (RTA), called the Afghan situation “critical” and said that citizens across the country are in grave need of cash, shelter, and food, reported Tolo News.

“On the one side, there are the oppressive sanctions, and on the other side there is no infrastructure in Afghanistan from the past 20 years to facilitate job opportunities for citizens,” he said. “In the current situation, the Afghans are in need of the immediate humanitarian assistance of the world,” he added.

This comes as many areas were damaged due to avalanches and floods as a result of heavy precipitation across Afghanistan, reported Tolo News.

“Due to heavy rainfall, in some provinces, the people suffered financial losses. The bridges are damaged. But they were provided with immediate aid,” said Hafiz Mohammad Yaqob, an official at the Ministry of Public Works. “If the foreign countries stick to their conditions on the Islamic Emirate and cease assistance to Afghanistan, we will soon witness a large human catastrophe,” said Abdul Naseer Rishtia, a political analyst, reported Tolo News.

Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned of a severe crisis amid the cold winter in Afghanistan. The UN earlier said that it has collected USD 1.5 billion to tackle the Afghan crisis. (ANI)