The worst fears for the people of Afghanistan after the return of the Taliban to government have been realised, though not solely because of the new regime’s extremism. After the withdrawal of Nato troops last summer, the infrastructure and financial aid provided by the West was also largely withdrawn. With fundamentalists back in control, a new set of sanctions was imposed on Kabul that has made access to the funds needed to rebuild the country almost impossible to obtain.

The Taliban have also sought to revive some of the extreme political and theocratic practices that they used before they were deposed in 2001.

The upshot is a land where food shortages and a lack of shelter or power are conspiring to place millions at risk of not surviving the winter. They include three million children aged under five facing acute malnutrition. Around one third will die.

The world cannot stand by and watch. The UK is among the countries directing emergency funds towards Afghanistan, with another £100 million announced last week. But the sums involved are a drop in the bucket compared with what was being spent on the military deployment until last August.

Reporters who have visited the country recently, journalists with long experience covering wars and famines, say the situation is as bad as any they have seen, reaching across all strata of society. More face death from starvation in the next few months than were killed during the 20-year war.

This is not just a Western responsibility. Neighbouring states, like China, India and especially Pakistan, which will bear the brunt of the exodus of refugees that a famine will cause, also need to co-ordinate a response. They don’t have much time.