Afghan authorities in race against time to rescue child trapped in well

Kabul, Feb 17 (EFE).- The Taliban government authorities, construction companies, and citizens on Thursday are in a race against time to rescue a child who fell to a well in the southern Afghan province of Zabul more than 40 hours ago.

“The rescuers have reached a three-meter (9.8 feet) distance but unfortunately a big stone stands in the way to rescue the child,” provincial police spokesperson Zabiullah Jawhar told EFE.

Special machinery to break the large stone is required, which the rescue personnel do not possess at the moment.

“A stone breaking machine has been requested from Kandahar province and it is on the way,” the spokesperson added.

Faced with the possible deterioration of the six-year-old Haider’s health, residents of the area have urged the authorities to send advanced machinery for the rescue operations.

Provincial governments often do not have adequate resources to deal with emergencies or sometimes even the country’s basic needs.

The situation has deteriorated rapidly in the last six months, after the Taliban came to power, partly as a result of international sanctions on the Islamist group that froze the country’s assets and its access to international banking.

This has led to a profound humanitarian and economic crisis, with cash shortages, high inflation, non-payment of wages, apart from the worsening human rights situation.

Since August last year, Afghanistan has become almost entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance channeled by international agencies, which so far provide food and essential material to the most vulnerable communities. EFE

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