Kathmandu,

June23,

The Taliban on Thursday appealed for international aid as Afghanistan deals with the aftermath of a massive earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people.

The earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, and the death toll surpassed 1,000 on Thursday with more than 1,500 people injured. The most affected areas are in Spera District in Khost Province, and Barmala, Ziruk, Naka and Gayan districts in Paktika Province.

In a rare move, the Taliban’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzadah, who almost never appears in public, pleaded with the international community and humanitarian organisations “to help the Afghan people affected by this great tragedy and to spare no effort".