UN: Taliban restrictions halt 56 humanitarian projects in Afghanistan

Taliban interference and access-related restrictions disrupted humanitarian operations across Afghanistan last month, forcing the suspension of 56 aid projects, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The agency’s January 2025 report documented 127 humanitarian access incidents, with the Taliban—referred to as the “de facto authorities”—responsible for 83 percent of them.

While this marks a 17 percent decrease from the same period last year and a 14 percent drop from December, the restrictions continue to impact aid efforts for vulnerable populations.

The suspended projects varied in duration, with some halted for just a day and others remaining inactive for up to a month. Nearly half of these projects (48 percent) were still suspended as of February, significantly affecting humanitarian aid delivery. According to OCHA, Taliban interference was the biggest obstacle to aid efforts, accounting for 87 incidents in January—slightly lower than the 136 incidents recorded in December 2024. The interferences ranged from programming restrictions (40 incidents), demands for staff lists and sensitive data (25 incidents), bans on female humanitarian workers (13 incidents), interference in staff recruitment (5 incidents), delays in signing memorandums of understanding (2 incidents), interference in beneficiary selection (1 incident), and disruptions to procurement processes (1 incident). These incidents resulted in the suspension of 26 humanitarian projects, with 22 still inactive as of February.

Severe winter conditions, including heavy snowfall and rainfall, added to the access challenges, causing at least 15 disruptions in January, compared to just three in December. The operational environment also became more dangerous, with 34 humanitarian workers—including nine women—arrested or detained, a 161 percent increase from the previous month. According to OCHA, the Taliban’s Department for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice was responsible for five detentions, the General Directorate of Intelligence for two, and the Taliban police for one. As of early February, 15 aid workers remained in Taliban custody.

Beyond direct interference, Taliban authorities issued 12 new directives in January that further restricted humanitarian operations. Most of these directives came from the Taliban Directorate of Economy (8), the Taliban Directorate of Public Health (1), the Taliban Provincial Governor’s Office (1), the Taliban Department of Agriculture (1), and the Taliban Department of Finance (1).

Despite these mounting challenges, humanitarian organizations continue to navigate complex restrictions to deliver aid to Afghanistan’s most vulnerable communities. However, OCHA has warned that further disruptions could exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis.