August 22, 2008

Overview

More than 200 killed in deadly week in Afghanistan

More than 200 people, including civilians, were killed in separate security incidents across Afghanistan this week. The week ended with a deadly airstrike aimed at Taliban militants in Shindand district in western Herat province on Friday (August 22) that left dozens of people dead. According to the Afghan Interior Ministry, 76 people, all civilians, including 50 children, 19 women and seven men, were killed in the strike. The Afghan Defense Ministry placed the death toll at 25 militants and five civilians, while US-led coalition forces said only 30 Taliban militants, including a local commander, were killed in the operation. More than 30 people were killed in a similar airstrike in eastern Laghman province on Wednesday (August 20) that also killed at least one civilian and wounded 21 others. A roadside explosion killed three Polish soldiers on the NATO-led force in central Ghazni province on Wednesday. On Monday (August 18), 10 French soldiers were killed and 21 others wounded in a clash with more than 100 Taliban insurgents in Sarobi district, some 30 miles (48 km) east of the capital, Kabul. More than 40 people, mostly Taliban militants, were killed in separate incidents in Kabul, Helmand, Kapisa, Khost and Paktia provinces on Monday and Tuesday (August 19). The Afghan Interior Ministry said 28 Taliban militants were killed during a security operation in southern Zabul province on Sunday (August 17), while nine Afghan security guards in a supply convoy were killed in an ambush by insurgents in eastern Kapisa province on the same day. Ten Afghan policemen were killed on Saturday (August 16) in a roadside bomb attack in southern Kandahar province. The relentless violence across the country has experts saying that an increase in foreign troops is needed to stem the cycle of violence that has been plaguing the country for months now.

Britain and France reiterate their commitment for Afghanistan

The leaders of two key NATO nations visited Kabul this week to reiterate their commitment to Afghanistan. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who on Thursday (August 21) flew directly to southern Helmand province, where most of the British soldiers are deployed, met with troops and commanders and with Afghan officials before flying to Kabul where he met President Hamid Karzai. Following a meeting with Karzai, Brown announced US$120 million in additional assistance toward Afghanistan’s reconstruction and extra assistance in training the Afghan National Army and police. The day before Brown’s visit, French President Nicolas Sarkozy also visited Afghanistan to pay his respects for 10 French soldiers who died in a clash with militants on Monday and Tuesday. Sarkozy also reiterated his support for the Afghan government, adding that the recent attack will not deter his country from supporting the Afghan people and the fight against terrorism.

UN calls for more food aid for Afghanistan
The UN is urging donor nations to contribute urgent food aid toward feeding some 4.5 million food-insecure people in Afghanistan. Speaking to reporters in Kabul on Tuesday, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Kai Eide, urged donors to commit resources toward funding a US$404 million food aid appeal launched last month by the world body. Eide said high food prices, poor harvests and drought were impacting millions of people in the country. He said some 35 percent of Afghan households were not meeting their minimum daily requirements for food. He stressed the need for immediate action to address the problem ahead of the fast approaching winter when half of the country is often inaccessible by road due to heavy snow. Eide told reporters, "We can reduce the impact of the problem we are facing if donors react quickly," adding, "And the sooner donors react the more suffering we will be able to prevent; as you know winter is only a few months away and we need to act quickly, all of us." Susana Rico, the World Food Program's (WFP) country representative, said higher food prices meant families were spending 85 percent of their income on food compared to 58 percent three years ago. She said, "WFP appeals for 100,000 metric tons of food which will be needed in the next six months to address the most urgent needs of Afghanistan." She also urged Afghan authorities to provide better support for aid convoys that travel through restive areas.

Movement

2008: UNHCR is asking Pakistan to revise its Afghan refugee repatriation plan, as the current plan to repatriate some 2.4 million refugees by the end of next year (2009) is “unworkable” due to persistent insecurity and lack of economic opportunities. (BBC, Apr-18). UNHCR said this week that since March 1, when the repatriation campaign resumed from Pakistan, more than 200,000 Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan. (UNHCR, Aug-4))

2007: UNHCR temporarily suspends the Afghan voluntary repatriation campaign in Pakistan until March 2008 due to seasonal slowdown. (IRIN, Nov-2). Pakistan has reportedly extended the deadline to close Jalozai camp until March 2008. (IRIN, Sep-4). The UNHCR has asked Pakistan to temporarily suspend closure of Jalozai refugee camp in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) that was originally scheduled to be closed on August 31. UNHCR said due to the fast approaching Muslim holy month of Ramadan and winter season, conditions were not conducive for the return of some 100,000 camp residents. UNHCR said any forceful return of these refugees could lead to secondary displacement.

Pakistan is to close all Afghan refugee camps by December 2009 and to repatriate all refugees living in the country. UNHCR says it has repatriated over 306,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan so far this year under its voluntary repatriation campaign. (UNHCR, Aug-10)

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.

Iran deported some 85,000 unregistered refugees to Afghanistan during April 21 - May 14, 2007. Iranian officials say they plan to initially send back 500,000 of over a million illegal refugees in the country. Earlier this week, Iran said it has reached an agreement with the Afghan government to slow down the pace of expulsions for illegal Afghans living in the country.

Some 200,000 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 said voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan that are without proof of registration (PoR) ended in April, and refugees remaining in the country without PoR are now considered illegal and subject to government action. Repatriation campaign for Afghan refugees with PoR.

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 closed 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 percent of returnees from Pakistan were from cities and 30 percent from camps. Over a third returned to Kabul, another 10 percent went to other central provinces, and just over 20 percent returned to each of the north and east. The Southern region received 6 percent and the Western region 4 percent. 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 percent were from urban areas; only 3 percent 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

Location

Central Region

Coordination

Population

IDP Movement

Food

There have been at least six attacks on World Food Program (WFP) food convoys in 2008, and WFP has temporarily suspended food delivery to Daikundi province.(IRIN, May-28)

Health

Czech Republic-led PRT to begin construction of a new 20-bed facility for the existing Comprehensive Health Clinic in Mohammad Agha in Lowgar province. (NATO, Apr-24)

NFIs -Shelter

IOM, UNICEF, UNOCHA, & OXFAM

Water & Sanitation

UNICEF

Security

Three Polish soldiers from the NATO-led force were killed and another was critically wounded Wednesday (Aug-20) when a roadside bomb exploded in Ghazni province. (ABC, BBC, Reuters, Aug-21)

Comments

IOM provided shelter materials to 21 vulnerable families in Bamyan province the week of July 20. (IOM, Jul-25)

East Central Region

Location	East Central Region
Coordination	UNHCR
Population
IDP Movement	UN; Government encouraging refugees to return to home provinces to limit burden on Kabul—government land distribution program only in province of origin;
Food	WFP has begun distributing wheat to some 650,000 beneficiaries affected by high food prices in Kabul and the surrounding areas. (Reliefweb, Mar-6, 2008) IRC, Action Contra la Faim; WFP
Health	The country remains under the national public health emergency declared on January 8, with 30,000 health workers requested to not take leave for the duration of the emergency period. (IRIN, Feb-14) UNICEF, CARITAS, MSF, IFRC, IRC, ICRC
Non-Food Items - Shelter	UNHCR, ACTED, MSF, IRC, ICRC, IOM
Security	*Afghan Education Minister Hanif Atmar survived an assassination attempt Saturday (Aug-16) when his convoy was struck by a roadside bomb on the outskirts of Kabul. (CNN, ABC, AFP, Aug-16-17-18)* At least 10 French soldiers were killed and 21 were wounded in clashes with about 100 Taliban insurgents in Sarobi district, about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Kabul, on Monday (Aug-18) and Tuesday (Aug-19). (CNN, Reuters, ABC, Aug-19) The Defense Ministry said at least 14 Taliban militants were killed in a clash with Afghan and NATO-led forces on Tuesday in the Ouzbin region, east of Kabul. The Taliban claimed they had killed 10 US soldiers during the fighting. (CNN, Reuters, ABC, Aug-19) *Two rockets were reportedly fired at the center of Kabul overnight Tuesday, but no casualties or damages were reported. (CNN, Reuters, ABC, Aug-19)* Taliban militants claimed responsibility over the weekend for the killing of four aid workers from the NGO International Rescue Committee in Logar province on August 13. (CNN, ABC, AFP, Aug-18)
Water & Sanitation	An agreement has been signed between the UNHCR and the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) to provide safe drinking water for Afghan returnees from Pakistan and Iran, as well as IDPs. (UNHCR, Sep. 24) ICRC
Comments	On Wednesday (July 9), Afghanistan and UNAMA launched a joint appeal for US$404 million to ensure food security for 450,000 households, give livestock and agricultural assistance to 300,000 farming families and protect about 550,000 women and children from malnutrition. The appeal is designed to cover these and other projects through July 2009 and follows a US$77 million joint food appeal that was fully met earlier this year. (IRIN, Jul-9) Malaysia and Australia will soon launch a joint initiative to train 30 “master teachers” who will train Afghan teachers in modern education methods. (GoAustralia, Jul-10)

Eastern Region

Location	Eastern Region
Coordination	UNHCR, International Islamic Relief Organization;
Population
IDP Movement	UNHCR
Food	IRC NATO-led ISAF PRT transported water pipes for a nearly seven-mile-long planned water supply project in Baghlan province. (NATO, Aug-23)
Health	Provincial officials in Khost, Nangarhar and southern Kandahar provinces confirmed hundreds of diarrhea cases due to water contamination from floods. (IRIN, July-11)
Non-Food Items - Shelter	CWS, UNICEF
Security	*An unknown number of insurgents were killed in a clash with coalition forces in Kapisa province on Sunday (Aug-17). (CNN, ABC, AFP, Aug-17-18)* *Several militants died in a clash with Afghan and coalition forces in Paktika province on Sunday. (CNN, ABC, AFP, Aug-17-18)* At least 10 Afghan civilians were killed and 13 were wounded when a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into the gate of a MUS military base in Khost province on Monday (Aug-18). (CNN, ABC, AFP, Aug-18) *In Kapisa, Afghan authorities said Tuesday (Aug-19) that they had killed six Taliban militants, including a senior commander, in a security sweep overnight. (CNN, Reuters, ABC, Aug-19)* *The Afghan Interior Ministry said Tuesday that Afghan police and coalition forces had arrested Mullah Basir, a main Taliban leader, in Paktia province. (CNN, Reuters, ABC, Aug-19)* NATO-led troops killed up to 13 Taliban militants when suicide bombers targeted a NATO base known as Camp Salerno in Khost province on Tuesday. One US soldier also died in the fighting and several civilians were wounded. (CNN, Reuters, ABC, Aug-19) *Afghan and foreign forces with close air support killed at least a dozen Taliban insurgents Wednesday (Aug-20) in a clash in Khost. (CNN, ReliefWeb, HT, Aug-20)* *In Paktia province, foreign troops killed 10 suspected Taliban militants in an airstrike Wednesday. (CNN, ReliefWeb, HT, Aug-20)* Afghan and coalition forces fighting militants in Laghman province called in airstrikes Wednesday that killed 30 insurgents and wounded one other. A provincial health ministry spokesperson said 21 civilians had been wounded in the strike. A provincial police chief said one civilian had died and 20 had been wounded in fighting in the area, but it was not clear who was responsible. (ABC, BBC, Reuters, Aug-21)
Water & Sanitation	CARITAS; ICRC, UNICEF
Comments

Northeastern Region

Location	Northeastern Region
Coordination
Population	9,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast
Movement IDPs
Food
Health	WHO, Merlin, UNICEF, MSF; ICRC
Non-Food Items (NFIs) -Shelter	UNICEF, ACTED, Refugees Int’l, Mercy Corps
Security
Water & Sanitation
Comments	The MoPH has asked the NATO-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Badakhshan for air support to enable medical teams to service otherwise inaccessible areas. (IRIN, Feb-14)

Northern Region

Location	Northern Region
Coordination	UNHCR, IOM
Population	9,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast; 60,000 IDPs from North elsewhere in country.
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food	A severe drought has been reported across northern Afghanistan, with the situation being worst in Faryab, Jowjan, Samangan, Saribul and Badghis provinces. Higher-than-normal summer temperatures and a lack of crucial rainfall have left northern rivers at record low water levels, hindering agricultural production and potable water sources. With the added issue of rising global food prices, farming families are unable to purchase basic food items. The governor of Faryab says the province is on the verge of a humanitarian crisis without immediate food aid. Badghis officials say almost all livestock and crops have been lost and more than 200 families are fleeing each day. There are no accurate figures for casualties or losses. Part of a US$404 million joint UN-Afghan appeal announced on July 9 will be used to feed drought-affected populations. (Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Jul-10)
Health	MSF, ICRC, UNICEF At least 20 children have died in several districts of northern Balkh and central Daikundi provinces over the past five weeks due to water contamination from floods. (IRIN, July-12)
NFIs –Shelter	IOM, ACTED, Mercy Corps
Security	*In Kunduz province, the body of an Afghan driver for the French aid organization ACTED who was abducted on Tuesday (Aug-19) was discovered Wednesday (Aug-20). (CNN, ReliefWeb, HT, Aug-20)*
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF, ICRC, DACAAR
Comments	ISAF PRT helps flood-affected families in Khamyab and Qarqin districts in Jowzjan province at the request of provincial authorities. (Frontier Post, Aug-12)

Southern Region

Location	Southern Region
Coordination	UNHCR
Population	IFRC says that flash floods and avalanches in early March have affected 2,200 families in Helmand/Sangreen Grishk, Musa Qala, and Nowzad districts; and 400 families in Uruzgan/Dehraud district. (IFRC, Mar-23).
Movement of IDPs	Intense military operations against Afghan insurgents in southern Helmand province, especially in Musa Qala district, have caused hundreds of families to flee their homes to neighboring districts and the provincial capital, Lashkargah. (IRIN, Dec-6)
Food	UNICEF; Mercy Corps; CARITAS; WFP
Health	A UNICEF-led Polio vaccination campaign was suspended in Musa Qala due to military operations. The campaign was also suspended in parts of five other districts. (ReliefWeb, Dec-20)
NFIs - Shelter	UNHCR, Mercy Corps The Netherlands will provide US$713,000 (470,000 euros) for repair of war-damaged homes for 400 families in Deh Rawood and 150 families in Tirin Kot. (Reliefweb, Feb-28)
Security	*In Kandahar province on Saturday (Aug-16), 10 Afghan policemen were killed by a roadside bomb. (CNN, ABC, AFP, Aug-16-17-18)* The Afghan Interior Ministry said 28 Taliban insurgents were killed in Zabul province on Sunday (Aug-17) when they ambushed a convoy carrying supplies for foreign forces. Nine Afghan guards were also killed in the attack. (CNN, ABC, AFP, Aug-17-18). *At least 10 Taliban fighters were killed and about as many were wounded Tuesday (Aug-19) in a clash with Afghan and foreign forces in Helmand province. (CNN, Reuters, ABC, Aug-19)* *A blast hit a NATO convoy in Kandahar on Wednesday (Aug-20), but there were no initial reports of casualties. (CNN, ReliefWeb, HT, Aug-20)*
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	The Afghan government has approved 19 reconstruction projects valued at US$1.4 million (72 million AFA) for Kandahar province. Projects are to be completed within nine months and are expected to benefit some 29,000 households in the region. (ReliefWeb, Mar-14).

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
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 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, Mar-23) 12,000 IDPs, mostly in Maslakh camp
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food	IRC, CARITAS, UNICEF, World Vision, IOM, Action Contre la Faim; WFP Provincial officials are seeking 1,733 tons of food aid to feed some 100,000 most vulnerable people affected by rising food prices in Ghor province. (IRIN, May-19)
Health	At least 17 people have been reportedly killed in Gulran district in western Herat province by “Charmak” disease after consuming contaminated flour. There have so far been 200 confirmed cases of the disease known as hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD), also known as 'camel belly.' (IRIN, Reliefweb, May-15) Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), with the help of US-led coalition forces, carried out a Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) in Shewan, Farah province on August 30 and treated more than 811 people, including 576 women and children. (USG, Sep-2)
Non-Food Items (NFIs) – Shelter	Islamic Development Bank (IDB) distributed some 12,500 blankets and 150 tents to some 2,500 families in Herat. (FP, Apr-22)
Security	A coalition soldier was killed by small-arms fire while on combat patrol in western Afghanistan on Wednesday (Aug-20). His nationality and the location of the attack were not reported. (CNN, ReliefWeb, HT, Aug-20) The Interior Ministry reported that 76 Afghan civilians were killed Friday (Aug-22) in a US-led coalition airstrike in Shindand district of Herat province. Other accounts of the attack gave different casualty figures. The coalition said it had carried out an operation in the area but that only 30 Taliban insurgents were killed. The Afghan Defense Ministry said 25 rebels and five civilians were killed. The Interior Ministry will investigate the incident. (AP, Reuters, AFP, Aug-22)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments

Refugee Camps in Pakistan

Location	Long-term camps in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), NWFP, Baluchistan Province, and by capital, Islamabad; Mohamed Kheil 1 & 2 camps (85 km southwest of Quetta)
Type	Refugee Camps
Coordination	Afghanistan, Pakistan and UNHCR on August 2 extended the tripartite agreement governing the voluntary repatriation of registered Afghans from Pakistan through December 2009. The agreement provides a legal and operational framework for the process. To date, more than 3 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan under the voluntary repatriation program since 2002. This year, more than 300,000 Afghans have returned. (UNHCR, GOP, Aug-2) The Kacha Garhi Afghan refugee camp was officially closed on July 26, 2007. Kacha Garhi, set up in 1980 and located in Hayatabad in NWFP, had 64,000 registered Afghans. The closure followed two years of negotiations, as many refugees initially did not want to repatriate. By the camp's closure, some 37,000 refugees had been repatriated by the UNHCR. Most refugees were originally from Afghanistan's eastern and central provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, Kabul, and Logar. (UNHCR, July-27)
Camp Capacity	About one million mostly long term Afghans in 74 camps—down from about 200 camps.
Population	2.05 million registered Afghans remaining in Pakistan; 63 camps in NWFP, 12 in Baluchistan; and one million elsewhere; Many occupants are long-term residents or were born in Pakistan; (UNHCR, Aug-2) Jungle Pir Alizai (Balochistan): 36,000, originally scheduled to close June 15. Kacha Gari (NWFP): original population of 64,811, officially closed July 26 – 37,000 repatriated. (UNHCR, July-27) Jalozai (NWFP): 109,934, originally scheduled to close August 31. UNHCR on August 22 requested Pakistan to temporarily suspend the camp’s closure due to insufficient time for some 100,000 people to move and settle into new places in the face of the fast approaching Ramadan and winter season. (UNHCR, Aug-22) The deadline was extended to April 15 due to the impending winter. According to IRIN, at least 352 have left Jalozai so far in March. (IRIN, Mar-20) Girdi Jungle (Balochistan): 17,844, scheduled to close August 31. (IRIN, June-14)
Refugee Movement
Food	WFP, CRS, ARC
Health	UNICEF, MSF
Non-Food Items (NFIs) - Shelter	CRS
Security
Water & Sanitation	IFRC, MDM
Comments