KAMDESH, Afghanistan, April 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Afghan villagers in isolated mountain areas, cut off from the world by the conflict with neighbouring Pakistan, finally saw relief this week after nearly two months without vital supplies.

Some residents in the remote border village of Kamdesh, nestled in the peaks of Nuristan province, said they had survived on cow's milk since fighting between the long-standing foes intensified from late February.

While violence continues to flare along the contested frontier, an international aid convoy was permitted this week to travel along a previously unusable road to reach the village, provincial officials told AFP.

Loaded with supplies of medical equipment, drinking water and food, the convoy -- organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Afghan Red Crescent Society and the World Food Programme -- met with dozens of hopeful Kamdesh residents waiting in line for relief.

"When the road was closed, we couldn't find flour, oil or sugar," said farmer Osama Nuristani, as boys and men lugged sacks of supplies around him.

"We left our homes and went to the mountains, where we stayed for some time. Our animals became sick, and no medicine reached us," the 22-year-old told AFP.

He was among some 136,000 people the ICRC said faced "severe shortages of food, health care and basic household items" due to the conflict, which has killed hundreds of Afghan civilians in recent weeks, according to UN and government data.

"The other road is difficult for us because of snow, and it's only open for two months in a year," community elder Mohammad Naeem, 57, said, adding people would be "happy" if they could travel again.

The aid convoy included supplies of flour, salt and yellow split peas, while medical equipment was also brought in by the ICRC for health centres facing shortages.

Earlier this month, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs described the essential road linking Kamdesh to a neighbouring province as "unusable" because of the "risk of cross-border firing".

An NGO worker and her son were killed along the route in mid-March, it said.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of sheltering militants from the Pakistani Taliban, which carries out deadly attacks in Pakistan. The Afghan government denies the allegation.

Standing in front of a lorry loaded with supplies, Kamdesh farmer Ejaz Ahmad urged both sides to "pay serious attention to civilians during the fighting".

When war rages, "ordinary people suffer", the 34-year-old said.