Afghanistan: UK charities launch winter appeal for Afghanistan

Several UK charities are joining together to ask the public to donate money for people in Afghanistan.

The UK's Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched a crisis appeal because millions of people are starving in the country.

UK aid agencies, including Oxfam, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and the British Red Cross will all ask the public to donate, with the appeals broadcast on TV.

The UK government has promised to double the public donations, up to a total of £10 million.

The money that is donated will be used for emergency food, nutrition for children as well as clean drinking water and winter kits to help keep families warm this winter.

Why is this crisis appeal needed?

Food and medical supplies are given out by charity workers

The DEC said families in Afghanistan can't afford to buy food and more than half the population, 22 million people, don't have enough to eat at the moment.

Millions of children could face acute malnutrition, meaning they are lacking the right nutrients because they aren't having enough food.

According to the DEC the pandemic, conflict and drought in the country has brought it to breaking point. Afghanistan has had the worst drought in more than 25 years, which has ruined a lot of the country's crops and means prices have increased.

The Taliban took over running the country in August after the US and UK pulled their soldiers out of Afghanistan following a long war.

The economy in the country has also taken a hit, as Western nations have removed financial support because the Taliban took power and they disagree with their strict laws and extreme punishments.

Charities in the country are providing medicine to those in need

Saleh Saeed, chief executive of the DEC, said: "We can't just sit back and watch, we can't just let this happen."

Already international donors have agreed to transfer $280 million (£210 million) to UN food and health services in Afghanistan to help the crisis.

What is the DEC?

The Disasters Emergency Committee work together with 15 UK aid charities when large-scale disasters hit countries

The DEC is a committee that brings together 15 leading UK aid charities to help give aid and co-ordinate successful appeals.

The appeals will be broadcast on the main UK channels, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky on Wednesday. It will also be on BBC and commercial radio stations.