The residents of Musa Qala district in southeastern Helmand province are facing a dire situation as the only river in the district has recently dried up.

The residents said that they have suffered heavy losses.

Agriculture is the only source of income for Abdullah, whose harvests have been destroyed due to lack of water. 

“In Helmand, there is no water in general. The water in wells has also dropped. You see it here that the harvests of wheat have dried up due to lack of water,” he said.  

The residents called on the Islamic Emirate to address their challenges.  

“Here was a garden of almond. The condition was good. But now due to lack of water, the almond trees have been destroyed,” said Abdul Ahad, a farmer in Helmand.  

“You see the situation from up close here --what the situation is about. There is not even water for drinking,” said a resident of Kabul.   

According to the residents, many people living in Musa Qala also lack access to drinking water.  

The head of the district’s water manager, Mahir, said that the issue has been shared with the officials in Kabul.  

“We have discussed this with the Ministry of Energy and Water and asked for their attention. Our people are fleeing from the area and many people fled due to drought,” he said.  

The Musa Qala River is a tributary to the main provincial river of Helmand.  

This comes amid tensions between Kabul and Tehran over Helmand water rights—with officials of the two countries making public remarks accusing each other of ignoring realities.  

Speaking at a ceremony on the 7th anniversary of the death of former Islamic Emirate leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, the acting Minister of Foreign Affair Amir Khan Muttaqi said that the Islamic Emirate is committed to the Helmand water treaty signed in 1973.