Afghans face hunger crisis, adding to Taliban’s challenges

By KATHY GANNON, RAHIM FAIEZ and EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An official says the United Nations’ stockpiles of food could run out this month in Afghanistan. That is threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the country’s new Taliban rulers as they try to restore stability after decades of war. Ramiz Alakbarov said about one third of the country’s population of 38 million doesn’t know if they will have a meal every day. Alakbarov is the U.N.‘s humanitarian chief in Afghanistan. The U.N.’s World Food Program has brought in food and distributed it to tens of thousands of people in recent weeks, but with winter approaching and a drought ongoing, more money is needed.