Kabul, Nov 6 (IANS): The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that it has continued to provide food and other essential aids to vulnerable Afghans ahead of winter amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

The UN migration agency's announcement on Friday came in the wake of a two-day visit to Afghanistan by the IOM Director General Antonio Manuel de Carvalho Ferreira Vitorino, who expressed concern over a humanitarian disaster in the country if not prevented, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Conflict and insecurity, grinding poverty exacerbated by an economy in freefall, severe drought and the Covid-19 pandemic have pushed Afghanistan to the brink of collapse... I am, however, profoundly concerned for the future," Vitorino was quoted as saying.

He said that as the bitter winter approaches, "there is a real risk that the deteriorating humanitarian situation will result in increased displacement, vulnerability and suffering, and that the modest social and development gains of the past two decades will be lost".

"We are indeed in a race against time, as emphasized by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to help these people prepare for winter. We are going 'door to door' to see what is needed and are providing shelter, blankets, warm clothing, and cash for fuel and heating," he said.

According to Vitorino, the IOM was planning to expand winterization assistance to every Afghan province to reach 200,000 people in need.

On Thursday, he met the Taliban caretaker government's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and pledged to provide food and other winter items for the Afghans in need.

Muttaqi assured the IOM official that Taliban authorities and officials will help the UN and other aid agencies to identify eligible people to receive the aids, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Since the start of the year, over 634,000 people have been forcibly displaced by conflict, and about 5.5 million people have been displaced since 2012 in Afghanistan.