A UAE aid vessel carrying 2,500 tonnes of humanitarian supplies has set sail to deliver critical assistance to Afghanistan following devastating earthquakes that struck eastern Afghanistan at the end of August, killing more than 2,200 people and pushing nearly half a million into crisis. The ship departed Abu Dhabi, under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The cargo includes essential food supplies, shelter materials, and medical equipment that will be transported overland to Afghanistan once the vessel reaches its destination. The UAE has previously sent food, medical supplies, tents and a search and rescue team to Afghanistan as part of its ongoing humanitarian response to the disaster.
The Joint Operations Command coordinated the mission in partnership with the UAE Aid Agency and several charitable and humanitarian organizations across the Emirates, demonstrating what officials described as national solidarity in providing urgent relief support. This shipment represents part of the UAE’s comprehensive relief bridge established to assist the Afghan people following the natural disaster that primarily affected the country’s eastern regions.
Children make up more than half of the approximately 2,100 confirmed deaths, with more than 500 girls and 650 boys losing their lives in the earthquakes, the first of which struck at night on August 31. The humanitarian crisis has prompted international response efforts, with multiple countries providing assistance to the affected population.
The UAE’s humanitarian initiative reflects the nation’s commitment to supporting international relief efforts and providing aid to populations affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Officials emphasized that this support aligns with the UAE’s values of promoting regional peace and stability while addressing urgent humanitarian needs globally. The aid shipment follows previous UAE assistance, including a Boeing 747 freighter carrying 84 metric tonnes of emergency aid that departed Dubai for Kabul, designed to support nearly 730,000 people affected by the earthquake.
