April 6, 2007

 

 

Overview

 

Two French aid workers kidnapped in Afghanistan

Taliban insurgents claim to have abducted five people, including two aid workers, from the French NGO Terre d'Enfance in southwestern Afghanistan. Speaking to various media outlets over the phone from an undisclosed location, purported Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yusuf took responsibility for the kidnapping. He said two French nationals, a man and a woman, along with their three Afghan colleagues, were captured on Wednesday (April 4) in southwestern Nimroz province. Dennis Simonneau, spokesman for the French foreign ministry, confirmed that two French nationals working for Terre d'Enfance went missing on Tuesday (April 3). He said French authorities in Paris and Kabul were watching this matter closely in cooperation with local Afghan authorities and the Terre d'Enfance NGO, which runs health and education programs for children in Nimroz. According to Afghan officials in Nimroz, the abductees were on their way to the western province of Herat on Tuesday when they went missing. They had reportedly not informed local authorities of their travel or requested an escort, which is often sought by foreign nationals traveling in Afghanistan's countryside. Their abandoned vehicle was later found in Khasrod district near Herat. The kidnappers have not yet made any demands for their release. However, Afghan President Hamid Karzai today (Friday, April 6) ruled out any prisoner exchange deals with the Taliban.

 

Afghan government declares emergencies in 13 flood-affected provinces

Following flash floods and avalanches triggered by torrential rains that began last week, the Afghan government has declared humanitarian emergencies in 13 of the country’s 34 provinces and is calling for international assistance. Citing Afghan officials, the United Nations Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) is reporting that floods and avalanches have claimed as many as 83 lives, affected some 20,000-25,000 people and destroyed or damaged nearly 3,000 homes. The Afghan vice president and head of the National Emergency Committee (NEC) told IRIN the current magnitude of the disaster was beyond the government's capacity to deal with. According to provincial governor Haji Shalizai Deedar, flooding has killed at least 13 people and damaged more than 1,100 homes in southeastern Kunar province. Local Afghan Red Crescent Society officials say floods have killed at least six people and damaged or destroyed as many as 1,700 homes in the Gulran and Chusht districts in western Herat province. Floods and avalanches have also killed some 13 people in Shiwa and Zebak districts in northeastern Badakhshan province. Heavy rains over the weekend (Saturday, March 31) caused the Kabul River to burst its banks, destroying dozens of houses and displacing some 1,100 families in the provincial capital. Other provinces affected by the floods include Badghis, Bamiyan, Daykundi, Ghazni, Helmand, Nangarhar, Parwan, Uruzgan, Panjshir, Kapisa and Khost. Floods have also damaged nearly 200 miles (about 300 kilometers) of roads, impeding the delivery of relief goods. The Afghan government, with the help of the United Nations, is conducting aerial assessments of hard to reach areas. The distribution of relief supplies is underway in several areas. This year's spring rains have been the heaviest in recent years. Officials say if there is no letup in rains, the situation could get worse.

 

At least 36 people killed in separate security incidents across Afghanistan

Six people, most of them civilians, were killed today (Friday, April 6) in a suicide car bomb attack near the Afghan parliament in the capital Kabul. On Monday (April 2), seven policemen were killed and another four wounded when suspected militants attacked a police checkpoint near the border town of Spin Boldak in southern Kandahar province. Last weekend (March 31-April 1), at least twenty-eight people, including four children, were killed in separate security incidents across Afghanistan's restive south. On Sunday (April 1), a NATO-led airstrike on a compound housing suspected Taliban militants in Shahjoy district in southern Zabul province killed seven militants. Also on Sunday, a clash between NATO-led forces and suspected Taliban militants in Zhari district in Kandahar province left six militants dead. Four children were also killed on Sunday in a suicide car bomb attack aimed at an Afghan army convoy in Mehtar Lam district in Laghman province, some 60 miles (100 km) east of the capital Kabul. According to local police officials, the children were in the vicinity when the attacker detonated his explosives-laden car. On Saturday (March 31), at least eight suspected Taliban insurgents were killed in a clash with NATO and Afghan forces after they ambushed a security checkpoint in southern Uruzgan province.

 

 

 

Movement

 

2007 4.2 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan, and 500,000 IDPs returned home since early 2002. Close to 3 million of the refugees returned from Pakistan. 2.6 million Afghans remain in Pakistan, including one million in 74 long-term camps. About 1.5 million Afghans returned from Iran; Taking into account unassisted returns, perhaps 600,000 to 700,000 Afghans remain in Iran—up to 30,000 are in seven camps.

 

Some 28,000 Afghan refugees in Pakistan have returned to their homes under the UN-assisted voluntary Afghan refugee repatriation program since it resumed on March 1, 2007, following a seasonal winter suspension. Pakistani authorities say voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan that are without proof of registration (PoR) will end on April 15, and refugees remaining in the country without PoR will be considered illegal and subject to government action.

 

2006 UNHCR expects to assist 550,000 returnees—400,000 from Pakistan and 150,000 from Iran. However, so far this year only some 60,000 Afghan refugees have repatriated from Pakistan. Unassisted returns are a factor from Pakistan and have been a major contributor to returns from Iran. The tripartite arrangement among UNHCR-Afghanistan-Pakistan is good through 2006; The UNHCR-Afghanistan-Iran Joint Program has been extended into 2007. Repatriation from Pakistan, halted for the winter, recommenced on March 1. UNHCR assisted nearly 9,000 refugees in returning from Pakistan and over 500 from Iran during March. In April 2006, Pakistan will close two long-term camps in NWFP, and two in Baluchistan Province with 250,000 long-term residents. Refugees in Baluchistan can either return to Afghanistan or relocate to Mohammad Kheil camp near Quetta. Refugees in NWFP are moving to Afghanistan or one of ten camps in NWFP—refugees are pushing for a one-year delay.

 

2005 plans called for 400,000 Afghan refugees to return home from Pakistan and 200,000 from Iran, down from an earlier 350,000 estimated from Iran. 453,000 returned from Pakistan. 67,000 from Iran were assisted and over 210,000 returned on their own to Iran for a total of nearly 280,000, and a combined Pakistan and Iran total of 733,000—close to the original projection.

 

2004 plans were for one million to return. Actual returnees were around 850,000, with 385,000 from Pakistan and 460,000 from Iran, including 80,000 spontaneous returns. Pakistan closed camps in South Waziristan and all new camps, with remaining new refugees going to Mohamed Kheil camp in Baluchistan Province.

Emphasis in 2003 was on repatriation from old camps and cities in Pakistan to rural areas in Afghanistan. 70% of returnees from Pakistan were from cities and 30% from camps. Over a third returned to Kabul, another 10% went to other central provinces, and just over 20% returned to each of the north and east. The Southern region received 6% and the Western region 4%. The 2003 peak months were June and July.

 

In 2002 over 2.3 million Afghan refugees returned with 2 million assisted by UNHCR. UNHCR repatriated 1.53 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, including 125,000 from Baluchistan and 1.4 million from the North West Frontier Province. 82% were from urban areas; only 3% were from new camps. 265,000 refugees were assisted in returning from Iran; and 10,000 refugees from the central Asian republics.

 

 

Afghanistan Relief Efforts: United Nations Coordination Regions

 

 

 

 

 

Central Region

 

 

East Central Region

 

 

Eastern Region

 

 

Northeastern Region

 

 

Northern Region

 

 

Southern Region

 

 

Southern Region IDP camps

 

Location	Zhare Dasht - South of Kandahar – 6 camps
Type	IDP Camp
Coordination	UNHCR
Camp Capacity	30,000; expandable to 60,000
Population	125,000 IDPs in south; 48,500 at Zhare Dasht
Movement IDP	An estimated
Food	WFP
Health	UNICEF, MSF;
NFIs - Shelter
Security
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	Support for Spin Boldak camps terminated in 2004.

 

Western Region

 

Location	Western Region
Coordination	UNHCR; ICMC
Population	According to the IFRC, flash floods and avalanches in early March have affected some 200 families in Herat city; 918 families in Gulran district; 35 families in Cheshte Sharif district; 150 families in Shindand district, 6,500 families in Badghis/Jawand and Murghab districts, and 20 families in Gour district. (IFRC, March 23)   12,000 IDPs, mostly in Maslakh camp
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food	WFP has sent 127 tons of food assistance for some 3,515 flood-affected families in Badghis province. (OCHA, Nov. 23) IRC, CARITAS, UNICEF, World Vision, IOM, Action Contre la Faim; WFP;
Health
Non-Food Items (NFIs) – Shelter	UNHCR sent 50 tents, 1,000 blankets, 500 plastic sheets, 20 jerry cans and 500 lanterns for flood victims in Badghis. (OCHA, Nov. 23) UNHCR, Iranian Red Crescent, UNICEF, IOM, Ockenden Int’l, MSF, IMC;
Security	At least 10 policemen were in a roadside bomb aimed at a police convoy in Bakwa district in western Farah province on Tuesday (March 13), which also killed the newly-appointed district police chief. (ABC, HT, Mar. 13)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	Provinces of Herat, Badghis and Ghor have also been affected by the floods. (OCHA, Apr. 6)

Refugee Camps in Pakistan

 

Location	Long-term camps in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Baluchistan Province, and by capital, Islamabad; Mohamed Kheil 1 & 2 camps (85 km southwest of Quetta)
Type	Refugee Camps
Coordination	UNHCR.
Camp Capacity	About one million mostly long term Afghans in 74 camps—down from about 200 camps.
Population	Estimated 2.6 million Afghan refugees remain in Pakistan; 63 camps in NWFP, 10 in Baluchistan; and one million elsewhere; Many occupants are long-term residents or were born in Pakistan;
Refugee Movement
Food	WFP, CRS, ARC
Health	UNICEF, MSF
Non-Food Items (NFIs) - Shelter	CRS
Security
Water & Sanitation	IFRC, MDM
Comments	The Pakistan government has identified existing camps in Dhir and Chitral in the northern part of the country as relocation sites for Afghans who can not return to Afghanistan following recent camp closures in NWFP and Balochistan. (UNHCR, Feb. 21)   2,161,984 Afghans were registered between October 2006 and yesterday. Of the total, 1,368,316 were registered in North West Frontier Province; 454,726 in Balochistan; 240,698 in Punjab and Islamabad; 92,189 in Sindh; and 6,055 in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (PcK). More than 2.87 million Afghans have returned home from Pakistan since 2002, including over 133,000 in 2006. (Feb. 16, Reuters)   As of February 2, 2007, over two million Afghan refugees in Pakistan have registered in a US$6-million refugee registration campaign jointly carried out by the UNHCR and Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). (UNHCR, Feb. 2)   Pakistan will close four Afghan refugee camps in its border areas, Girdi Jungle and Jungle Pir Alizai in southwestern Balochistan province, and Katchagari and Jalozai in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), by August this year. The camps house about 230,000 people. Katchagari and Jungle Pir Alizai will be closed by June 15, while Jalozi and Girdi Jungle will be closed by August 31. (BBC, UNHCR, Feb-09)