January 11, 2008

 

Overview

 

US considers 3,000 additional troops for Afghanistan

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates is reportedly considering a proposal to send some 3,000 additional US troops to insurgency-torn Afghanistan in the coming weeks. Geoff Morrell, a spokesman for the Pentagon, told the media that the proposal recommended by the top US commander in Afghanistan, General Dan McNeill, had gone through the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was scheduled to go before Gates on Friday (January 11). He said the proposal calls for the deployment of a marine-air-ground task force with helicopters and some 2,200 combat troops by April in anticipation of a spring offensive by Taliban insurgents. Morrell said, "The commanders need more forces there. Our allies are not in the position to provide them. So we are now looking at perhaps carrying a bit of that additional load." He said although a final decision by Gates is not expected on Friday, "The timing is that they [troops] would be in place by April for a one-time seven-month deployment." There are currently 26,000 US troops in Afghanistan under the NATO-led mission in that country. NATO commanders have long complained about inadequacy of resources, including 7,500 additional troops that NATO nations pledged but never contributed despite a surge in violence over the past two years. Afghan officials have welcomed US plans to send additional troops, saying that an increase in troops is necessary and will help in anti-insurgency operations as the new national army continues to grow. NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has also welcomed US plans to send additional troops, but was quick to point out that a number of European allies had also added troops in Afghanistan in recent months. He told reporters in the Belgian capital, Brussels, that other NATO allies were also doing their share, but added that they could certainly do more in Afghanistan. De Hoop Scheffer also stressed that the ultimate solution for Afghanistan is not pouring in tens of thousands of forces, but a long-term commitment to reconstruction and development in that country.

 

Heavy snowfall leaves more than 30 dead and hundreds stranded in western Afghanistan

More than 30 people have reportedly been killed and hundreds of others are stranded or missing following heavy snowfall across Afghanistan. According to a provincial Afghan Red Crescent official, eight members of a family were killed when their mud-brick house collapsed under the weight of snow in western Herat province late Monday (January 7) or early Tuesday (January 8). He said eight other people, including six shepherds, were also killed elsewhere in the province. In neighboring Ghor province, three people were killed when an avalanche buried their home. More than 250 policemen escorting a UN food convoy have also been stranded by heavy snow and at least 16 civilians are reportedly missing. The Afghan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) declared a "state of alert" on Tuesday, alerting all 34 provinces across the country. Mohammad Amin Fatimi, Minister of Public Health, told the UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) that MoPH will be working to alleviate the plight of those affected. He also called upon the UN and other aid agencies to provide support and assistance to the government and the affected communities. Heavy snowfall since January 4 has blocked roads between Kabul, Khost and Paktia provinces to the southeast. Roads from provincial capitals in northern Badakhshan, Daykundi, Bamiyan, Ghor and Logar provinces have also been blocked due to heavy snow. Access to several districts in the western provinces of Herat, Badghis and Faryab has also been cut.

 

Food shortages loom in Afghanistan

Afghan officials are warning of an impending food crisis amid a short supply of basic food items and surging commodity prices. According to Afghan Commerce Minister Mohammad Amin Farhang, the rising cost of wheat and other basic foods could lead to serious problems during the winter. He said the price of bread had already quadrupled in some areas and urged the international community to provide urgent food aid to deal with the acute food shortages. Speaking to the German newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung, Farhang said, "The situation is serious" and could possibly trigger a famine this winter. Farhang said rising commodity prices on the international market and lower supplies of commodities imported from Pakistan, due to political turmoil in that country coupled with the insecurity inside Afghanistan affecting the transportation of food, was making the situation worse. He said many areas in the south and northeast were especially vulnerable due to persistent insecurity or the inaccessibility of the areas because of heavy winter snow. The government of President Hamid Karzai is reportedly under fire for not stockpiling adequate supplies of grain. In an attempt to alleviate some pressure on food prices, the Afghan government last week cancelled duties on imported grain and reduced taxes on imported cooking oil until the end of the Afghan year ending in March. Despite these actions, the situation remains serious as many people across the country won't be able to afford the surging prices of food.

Movement

 

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% 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