Homes of internally displaced people demolished in Kabul
Millions of some of Afghanistan's poorest and most vulnerable communities may be facing homelessness as the de facto authority issues orders to close informal settlements home to internally displaced people across the country. Some 450,000 households are estimated to live in over 1,000 large sprawling slum-like informal settlements across almost 30 provinces, usually in appalling conditions and often highly dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive. Internally displaced people who are living in these settlements are already on the brink of survival and struggling with the economic collapse, this raises serious concerns about the harm that would be caused by secondary displacement because of closing the settlements.
By the beginning of June, at least six informal settlements in Kabul have been closed and the homes of 600 households have been demolished. Most of those displaced during these closures have been forced to move to other informal settlements in and around Kabul city. 47 out of 52 settlements in Kabul are currently at risk of closure.
Photo: Ingebjørg Kårstad/NRC
