EU doubles emergency aid for Afghanistan

The European Union has more than doubled its emergency aid for Afghanistan to 77 million euros this year because of "the worsening humanitarian situation," a European Commission spokeswoman said Thursday. The extra 40 million euros (USD 44 million) allocated will go to emergency healthcare, shelter, water, and protection for children and women, a Commission statement said.

Around 80 percent of the total aid goes directly to Afghanistan, with the rest split between neighboring Iran and Pakistan, which together host six million Afghan refugees. "Not only has the conflict between the government and non-state armed groups intensified since the beginning of the year, but devastating floods have also hit this war-torn country," said the EU's commissioner for humanitarian aid, Christos Stylianides.