The Saudi Arabian King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) sent more than 65 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the war-torn Afghanistan. The package includes 1,647 food baskets, the state-run Saudi Press Agency confirmed on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia decided to support Afghanistan in the kingdom’s first such initiative since the Taliban took control of the crisis-stricken country in August.
The Saudi humanitarian air bridge would see a total of six planes deliver more than 197 tonnes of aid to Afghanistan, according to the centre’s supervisor general, Abdullah al-Rabeeah. In next months, the aid would also be delivered overland on 200 trucks from neighbouring Pakistan.
In its efforts to contribute in mobilising international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, more than half of which face acute food shortages, the Gulf nation has started the humanitarian operation.
The United Nations welcomed the quick reaction of Saudi Arabia, taking into account that the winter is forcing 38 million of Afghans to choose between migration and starvation.
Saudi Arabia was one of three nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, which recognised the previous Taliban government. Despite the lack of recognition for the Taliban government, Washington allowed some exemptions to its sanctions on Afghanistan to enable humanitarian aid to enter.
