Afghanistan Deploys Special Forces After Deadly Earthquakes

Afghanistan has deployed special forces by air to rescue survivors trapped under the rubble of homes destroyed by two powerful earthquakes in the country’s eastern mountains, which have killed at least 1,400 people this week.

The Taliban-led government is racing to provide food, shelter, and medical aid as relief efforts intensify.

The first quake, measuring magnitude 6.0, struck late Sunday near Kunar and Nangarhar provinces at a depth of 10 kilometres, causing widespread destruction. A second tremor of magnitude 5.5 hit on Tuesday, sparking panic, triggering landslides, and blocking roads to remote villages.

Ehsanullah Ehsan, head of the disaster management authority in Kunar, said dozens of special forces troops were airlifted into inaccessible areas to evacuate the wounded and assist survivors. Emergency camps have been set up to coordinate the distribution of food, medical supplies, and temporary shelters, while local committees oversee burials and aid delivery.

Earlier, helicopters were used to transport casualties to hospitals, but mountainous terrain and harsh weather hampered access, particularly in villages along the Pakistan border, where homes made of mud brick collapsed entirely.

According to the Taliban administration, at least 1,411 people have died, more than 3,124 have been injured, and over 5,400 houses have been destroyed. The United Nations has warned that the death toll may rise further as victims remain trapped under debris.

A Reuters journalist visiting the region before Tuesday’s quake reported seeing nearly every home damaged or destroyed, with residents digging desperately through the ruins in search of survivors.

Locals said the second quake levelled houses that had only been partially damaged in the first tremor.