India to handover $1 mn relief assistance to Afghanistan

New Delhi, May 8: India would hand over $1 million financial assistance to Afghanistan for relief and rehabilitation in Badakshan province that was hit by a massive landslide last week burying over 2,000 people.

The Indian embassy would hand over the financial assistance to the Afghan ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) Thursday in Kabul, a ministry of external affairs statement said.

"As per PM's announcement of financial assistance for relief and rehabilitation of damages caused by landslide in Badakshan province of Afghanistan on May 2 Embassy is going to handover $1 million to Afghan MFA tomorrow in Kabul."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called up President Hamid Karzai May 5 to express his grief over the loss of life due to the landslides in Badakshan province. During the conversation, the prime minister had pledged $1 million assistance for the affected families.

On May 2, a hill collapsed on a remote village in Aab Bareek area of Argo district in Badakhshan, 315 km northeast of Afghan capital Kabul, killing 2,000 people. The disaster was triggered by heavy rains.

IANS