KABUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Funding cuts to humanitarian assistance have compelled the closure of more than 100 facilities treating children with severe wasting in Afghanistan, Melissa Fleming, the United Nations under-secretary-general for global communications, said on Sunday.

This photo taken on Sept. 18, 2025 shows the exterior view of the United Nations headquarters in New York. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Across Afghanistan, 3.7 million children are currently suffering from acute malnutrition, including around 1 million facing life-threatening severe acute malnutrition, Fleming posted on her X account.

UNICEF earlier projected that 21.9 million people, among them 11.6 million children, will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, as the country remains locked in a cycle of overlapping crises.

In response, UNICEF has launched an urgent appeal for 949.1 million U.S. dollars to deliver life-saving aid and essential services to 12 million people, including 6.5 million children.