US Delays Emergency Aid After Deadly Afghanistan Quake

Nearly a week after a devastating earthquake killed over 2,200 people in Afghanistan and left tens of thousands homeless, the United States has yet to approve any emergency aid. Sources familiar with the situation say it remains unclear whether Washington plans to assist at all.

Two former senior U.S. officials and an insider noted that the lack of response highlights the impact of deep foreign aid cuts and the closure of the main U.S. foreign assistance agency. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was officially shuttered this week.

While the State Department extended “heartfelt condolences” to Afghanistan, it has not issued the formal declaration of humanitarian need, the first step in authorizing U.S. disaster relief. Normally, such a declaration follows within 24 hours of a major disaster.

Sources said recommendations for U.S. disaster aid were considered, but the White House opted not to reverse the policy ending aid to Afghanistan. A State Department spokesperson stated, “We have nothing further to announce at this time.”

Until earlier this year, the United States was Afghanistan’s largest aid donor. In April, nearly all U.S. aid—totaling $562 million—was halted, citing concerns that some funds had indirectly reached the Taliban.

Humanitarian groups report that emergency medical supplies funded by U.S. grants remain “stuck in storage” as Washington has yet to grant permission for delivery. These include stethoscopes, first aid kits, and stretchers, crucial for earthquake survivors in remote areas.

UN officials and humanitarian organizations warn that far more support is urgently needed, as infrastructure, health services, and livelihoods have been severely disrupted. Donations have arrived from countries including Britain, South Korea, Australia, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, but the scale of the crisis demands a broader global response.