At least 780,000 children lack shelter with nearly 8.6 million without blankets as the temperature is dropping below freezing, said a report by the organization Save the Children. 

 “With the country facing its worst hunger crisis ever recorded, millions of children will be going to sleep cold and hungry this winter. The shocking reports of children starving to death should make us all feel ashamed,” said Thomas Howells, acting country director for Save the Children in Afghanistan. 

This comes as hundreds of children are forced to engage in hazardous work as poverty is on the rise across the country.

“I came here to work because I need to earn some money,” said Amanullah, a child worker on a Kabul street.  

“The winter is cold. There is no money to do anything about it,” said Hamid, 10, who works as a vendor on the street.   

The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly pledged to take steps to counter poverty and economic crisis in the country.  

“The Islamic Emirate is in contact ... with world countries to bring economic and humanitarian assistance,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.  

UN statistics indicate that over eight million Afghan children lack basic needs.