Afghanistan Seeks Russian Aid Following Deadly Earthquake, Official Reveals

The government in Afghanistan, led by the Taliban, has sought assistance from Russia for its rescue and relief operations following one of the most devastating earthquakes in recent years that struck the country overnight, a senior Russian official stated on Monday.

«They have reached out to us, and our Ministry of Emergency Situations is currently addressing the situation,» said Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, in an interview with the state news agency RIA Novosti.

As of Monday evening, Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry had not provided an official response to Kabulov’s remarks.

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan just before midnight on Sunday, claiming approximately 800 lives in the remote Kunar province, with an additional 12 fatalities reported in the adjacent Nangarhar province. Both Nangarhar and Kunar border Pakistan.

The United States Geological Survey indicated that the epicenter of the earthquake was around 27 kilometers (17 miles) from Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, occurring at a depth of about 8 kilometers below the Earth’s surface.

Earlier on Monday, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry noted that no foreign nations had yet offered assistance for rescue or relief efforts.

Russia, which was the first nation to officially recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in July, has not yet expressed formal condolences to the Taliban. President Vladimir Putin is currently in China attending a regional summit and commemorative events for World War II.

Ravil Gainutdin, the head of the Council of Muftis representing Russia’s Muslim community, shared his personal condolences with the Taliban and the people of Afghanistan.

The Taliban regained control in 2021 after displacing the U.S.-backed government and instituting a strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Since this takeover, Russia has made efforts to establish a working relationship with the Taliban authorities, including removing them from a list of «terrorist organizations» in April and accepting a Taliban envoy in Kabul.

In July 2024, President Putin referred to the Taliban as “partners in the fight against terrorism.”

This report also included contributions from AFP.