Dad pleads with man he is forced to sell his daughter, aged NINE, to so he can buy food

A dad who sold his nine-year-old daughter to a 55-year-old husband has said he is "broken" with guilt - but had claimed he had no choice.

Parwana Malik, who lives in a refugee camp in Afghanistan, fears being beaten by the man after the sale was agreed between the man and her parents.

But in a heartbreaking interview, her dad said that selling his daughter is the only way he can support his family after international aid dried up when the Taliban seized power.

Human rights groups say widespread hunger and desperation mean more and more families are being forced to sell off their children.

In an exchange witnessed by CNN, Parwana's father Abdul Malik pleaded with the buyer not to beat her.

She tried to struggle as she was dragged away, the network reports.

The girl's father, Abdul Malik, pleaded with her buyer not to beat her (CNN)

Abdul told CNN - after saying he wants to shine a light on the desperation that families are facing: "We are eight family members, I have to sell to keep other family members alive."

The family has lived in a refugee camp in the Badghis province, with Abdul trying to earn small amounts of money when he can.

But with the latest crisis, he said he has been unable to scrape the money together to feed his loved ones, and has had to borrow "lots of money" from relatives.

Speaking to his daughter's buyer, the weeping dad pleaded: "This is your bride. Please take care of her - you are responsible for her now, please don't beat her."

Humanitarian groups say more and more families are turning to selling their children (CNN)

The 55-year-old man claimed he planned to raise Parwana as a member of his family, saying she was "cheap" and would work in his home.

Abdul told CNN he had been searching for work but not had any success, and is now unable to afford basic necessities.

He said he is "broken" with guilt, shame and worry, and said that the money would only sustain the family for a few months.

In another heartbreaking case, a grandmother has described being forced to sell her two granddaughters in order for her family to survive.

Ruhsana Samimi, 56, from the Hindu Kush province in central Afghanistan, told Abna news agency : "We are starving and have received no help, not even from our relatives. If someone had helped us, I would not have put my granddaughter up for sale."

Parwana had pleaded with her family not to sell her (CNN)

Close to a million children are at risk of starvation, the UN’s World Food Programme has warned.

The group has said millions could die unless urgent action is taken to save 22.8 million Afghans who are close to starving to death.

Afghans have been hit by a global blockage on aid since western troops suddenly pulled out of Kabul.

The Taliban’s brutal take-over has led to a lack of international recognition by the world of the new government - and no more aid.

One woman told the BBC : “My other children were dying of hunger so we had to sell my daughter.

There have been multiple reports of parents selling their children as the country faces a food crisis (CNN)

“How can I not be sad? She is my child. I wish I didn’t have to sell my daughter.”

David Beasley, executive director of the UN World Food Programme, said:

"Afghanistan is now among the world's worst humanitarian crises, if not the worst.

"We are on a countdown to catastrophe."