A convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid passed through Turkmenistan and crossed the Afghan border at the Torghundi crossing. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) delivered 397 tons of fortified biscuits to Afghan schoolchildren in Kabul, covering a route of nearly 15 thousand kilometers, the organization's press service reported.

Turkmenistan became the penultimate link in a complex logistics chain established by the WFP amid the closure of several regional borders. A convoy of 21 trucks passed through Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Türkiye, Georgia, and Azerbaijan before entering Turkmenistan and reaching the Afghan border crossing.

The original route through Pakistan was closed due to tensions in Pakistani-Afghan relations, and the backup option via the UAE and Iran was cancelled due to instability in the Middle East.

"Hunger doesn't wait for routes to open," said WFP logistics director Corinne Fleischer.

The shipment is part of the Indonesian government's 3,5 million USD contribution to the WFP school feeding program. The vitamin-fortified biscuits are intended for distribution to schools in Afghanistan's Ghor, Nuristan, and Paktika provinces.

"For the children, it's a packet of biscuits that helps them stay healthy, but for us, it's a logistical feat," said WFP Representative in Afghanistan Abdul Ahad Muneeb.