The humanitarian situation in the Andarab region of the northern Afghan province of Baghlan remains extremely difficult as militants of the radical Taliban movement block the supply of fuel and food, as well as kidnap residents, Vice President of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh said on Tuesday.

The Taliban do not allow food and fuel to enter the Andarab Valley. The humanitarian situation is dire.

Thousands of women and children were forced to flee to the mountains. Over the past two days, the

Taliban have been kidnapping children and the elderly and using them as human shields to move around or to search homes, Saleh tweeted.