New Delhi, Jun 22: India on Wednesday said it is committed to provide assistance and support to Afghanistan in its “hour of need” after the war-torn country was hit by a powerful earthquake that killed around 1,000 people.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India shares the grief of Afghan people.
“India expresses sympathy and condolences to the victims and their families, and to all those impacted by the tragic earthquake in Afghanistan. We share the grief of the people of Afghanistan and remain committed to provide assistance and support in this hour of need,” he said on Twitter.
“We share the grief of the people of Afghanistan and remain committed to provide assistance and support in this hour of need,” Bagchi added.
Afghanistan’s Bakhtar News Agency reported that more than 1,000 people were killed and over 1,500 injured in the earthquake on Wednesday that majorly hit the eastern Paktika province.
Hundreds of people were killed and wounded in the earthquake that struck early Wednesday morning in southeastern Afghanistan, according to a statement by Afghanistan’s Ministry of State for Disaster Management.
Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay appreciated India’s solidarity and support at this “difficult time”.
“Appreciate the solidarity and support of India at this difficult time. Humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was already going from worse to worst and with the occurrence of natural disasters like the recent earthquake make life unbearable for many Afghans,” he tweeted.
Mamundzay said immediate international help is required to deal with both the humanitarian crisis and the damages caused by the natural disaster.
“The casualty figure is likely to go up as search operations continue in various parts of Paktika, Khost and Nangarhar,” he said.
Afghanistan has already been reeling under a severe economic crisis and food shortage following capture of power by the Taliban in August last year.
In the last few months, India sent several shipments of humanitarian assistance consisting wheat, medicines and COVID-19 vaccines for the Afghan people in view of the unfolding humanitarian crisis.