Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have called for international help after a huge earthquake killed hundreds of people and leveled entire villages, piling further misery on the war-ravaged country that was already grappling with food shortages and cuts to foreign aid.

At least 800 people were killed and more than 2,800 were injured after the 6.0-magnitude quake struck towns and villages close to the Pakistan border on Sunday, causing strong aftershocks in Kabul, according to the UN and the Taliban government.

Heavy rain, landslides and damaged roads have made it difficult for relief teams to access the remote mountainous areas hit hardest by the quake.

Meanwhile, recent US aid cuts have crunched relief efforts in the country, which has been contending with shrinking global aid since the Tali

See Full Page