The Taliban’s National Disaster Preparedness Authority has announced that it will provide 20,000 Afghanis (AFN) in cash assistance to the family of each of the 19 young men who died in the Margo Desert of Nimroz Province.
According to the authority, the distribution of the assistance will be carried out in coordination with local officials to provide immediate financial support to the victims’ families.
The 19 young men, driven by unemployment, economic hardship, and the hope of finding a better life, had attempted to cross into Iran through human smugglers. They lost their lives in the vast Margo Desert of Nimroz due to extreme heat, dehydration, and hunger.
The deserts of Nimroz are considered among the most dangerous routes for irregular migration. In recent years, dozens of people have died or gone missing along this route because of water shortages, harsh weather conditions, and the negligence of human smugglers.
Following reports of the tragedy, many Afghans and civil society activists identified unemployment, the economic crisis, and the lack of safe employment opportunities as the root causes of the young men’s deaths. They emphasized that emergency financial assistance alone is insufficient to prevent similar tragedies and called for comprehensive economic solutions to improve people’s living conditions.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
