Afghanistan Faces Record Humanitarian Need Five Years After Taliban Takeover Amid Global Aid Cuts

Five years after the Taliban assumed control, nearly half of Afghanistan's population, 21.9 million people, is in crisis, an increase of 3.5 million since 2021. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) reported on August 14, 2026, that sweeping global aid cuts have forced a reduction in critical nutrition and maternal health services, exacerbating a severe hunger crisis and leaving public services on the brink of collapse.