Uzbekistan provides 3,700 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

Kabul, Dec 25 (IANS) Uzbekistan has provided 3,700 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the war-torn Afghanistan in an effort to help millions of people in need amidst the chilling winter.

Transported by 63 rail wagons to Afghanistan's northern city Mazar-I-Sharif and received by Afghan officials, the batch includes foodstuffs, fuel and winter clothes that will be distributed among destitute Afghans as the country is undergoing an economic crisis, reports Xinhua news agency.

Expressing gratitude to Uzbekistan, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan's Taliban-led government, called for further enhancing relations between Kabul and Tashkent.

Stanikzai called on Uzbekistan to help Afghanistan in rebuilding airports, building railways and providing scholarships for Afghan students.

Since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in August, which resulted in the US-led forces' departure and slapping sanctions on the new administration, Afghanistan has been facing economic crisis as more than 22 million out of the country's some 36 million population are reportedly facing acute food insecurity.

To overcome the crisis, the Afghan government has called on the international community to provide humanitarian aid.

So far, many countries including China, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Qatar, among others, have provided humanitarian aid to the country.