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© UNICEF

News in Brief 6 February 2024

  • Gaza: War crimes fears over Israeli ground invasion of Rafah
  • Thousands still struggling one year on from Syria-Turkïye earthquakes
  • Vaccine push underway in southern Africa amid unprecedented cholera spike 

 

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4'41"
© WFP/Marco Di Lauro

WFP official describes ‘devastating’ scenes in Afghanistan following multiple quakes

Western Afghanistan has been hit by a series of “devastating” earthquakes in the last 10 days that have displaced thousands and created a humanitarian crisis in the already-vulnerable region.

That’s according to Philip Kropf, Head of Communications for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan.

“Dozens of villages have been damaged, some of them completely flattened,” said Mr. Kropf. 

In an interview with UN News’ Cristina Silveiro, he discussed what he’d seen on the ground and outlined the UN’s urgent interagency response.

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6'9"
© UNICEF/Rebecca Phwitiko

Afghanistan: WHO and partners responding to immense needs

Aftershocks continue to be felt from the deadly earthquake that pummeled parts of western Afghanistan on Saturday, a senior official with the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday.

Roughly 1,300 people were killed in the disaster, which struck just west of the city of Herat, affecting eight villages. Those injured or otherwise impacted are estimated to be in the tens of thousands.

Dr. Alaa Abouzeid, WHO Health Emergency Team Lead in Afghanistan, said some people who were treated for mild injuries are now living in tents because they have nowhere else to go.

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6'51"