Jawzjan war-affected families want more assistance

SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): Local officials in northern Jawzjan province on Monday distributed humanitarian aid to 350 families in Mangjik district of the province, while local people say they are in need of further assistance.

QariSadruddin, head of the Red Crescent in Jawzjan, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the aid was distributed to needy and war-affected families based on a previous survey.

He added that the aid included flour, rice, oil, beans, sugar, salt and dry tea, which were distributed among residents of Mangjik district today.

“The Red Crescent continues to attract and distribute more aid in order to support needy families in other districts of Jawzjan province,” he added.

However, Mohammad Jura, a resident of Abbas village in Mangjikdistrict, said,“We thank the Red Crescent Society for the aid distribution which will solve our problems to some extent, but our main problem is lack of shelter because we lost our houses during the fight between Taliban and former government forces last year.”

He added that people’s houses located around the district center had been destroyed by rockets and artillery shells and that no one was able to rebuild them. He called on aid agencies to help them rebuild their houses.

“We are poor people and seriously affected, after years of war, we now feel some comfort, but our houses have been destroyed in the war,” said Birmaql, a resident of Busagha village in the district.

He said that it was the first time that food aid reached the district and was distributed to people affected by war.

“But these materials can be a one-month solution to our livelihood. We want the current government to provide us with jobs so that we can provide food for ourselves ” he said.

QariSadruddin said, “We take people’s problems to the governor’s office, that is what we can do for them.”

Mangjak district is located 75 km east of Shiberghan city, the provincial capital, and was under siege by the Taliban for more than two years during the previous government.

mds/ma

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