Situation for Afghan Children Worsens as Taliban Gains Control of Country

GENEVA - U.N. agencies are expressing grave concern about the welfare of Afghanistan’s civilian population, especially women and children, as Taliban insurgents tighten their control over the country.

Afghanistan for many years has been one of the worst places on earth to be a child.  U.N. agencies report every day, the flaring conflict in Afghanistan is taking a greater toll on the lives and well-being of the country’s women and children. A recent U.N. report finds more than 550 children have been killed and an estimated 1,400 maimed this year.  This is the highest number of child casualties in the first six months of any year since the U.N. began keeping records in 2009 in Afghanistan. U.N. Children’s Fund chief of field operations & emergency, Mustapha Ben Messaoud, said in the past few weeks, conditions for children have worsened. Speaking on a video link from the capital Kabul, he said the health and nutritional status of children are of major concern.