November 28, 2008

Overview

Afghan president demands timeline for ending foreign military intervention

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is seeking a timeline to end foreign military intervention in the country.  Karzai told a visiting UN Security Council delegation on Tuesday (November 25) that the international community should set a "timeline" for ending military intervention in Afghanistan, the Associated Press reported.  Karzai reportedly told the delegation, "If there is no deadline, we have the right to find another solution for peace and security, which is negotiations."  He also told the delegation that airstrikes by international military forces and searches in Afghan homes must stop.  According to Homayun Hamidzada, a presidential spokesman, Karzai said it was unacceptable that the Taliban controlled a number of districts in Afghanistan, including some in provinces where a large number of foreign forces are present.  He said, "We need to ensure the Afghan government is in control of its entire territory." The UN Security Council delegation that arrived in Kabul Monday (November 24) included a team of representatives from 15 countries that was discussing how to implement the US$20 billion pledged for Afghanistan at a donors’ conference in Paris this year, according to the BBC. A spokesperson said the aim of the trip was to underline the UN’s role in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Dozens reported killed in fresh violence in Afghanistan

Dozens of people were killed this week in attacks and clashes across Afghanistan. Afghan officials said at least four civilians were killed and 20 others wounded in a suicide car bomb attack near the US embassy in Kabul on Thursday (November 27). According to CNN, although the attack took place close to the embassy, the bomber was apparently targeting a military convoy. A spokesperson for the embassy said none of its staff had been injured. Separately, dozens of angry Afghans threw stones at police in Kabul after at least one civilian was killed and two others were injured. While some reports said the civilians casualties occurred when a US military convoy struck a van, others said a convoy of foreign troops shot at a civilian vehicle. Also Thursday, more than 300 militants reportedly attacked an Afghan army convoy and killed at least 13 Afghan troops in the northwest. At least 11 others were reportedly wounded and seven Taliban militants were killed, according to a police spokesperson. In eastern Afghanistan, NATO-led troops fired more than 20 artillery rounds into Pakistan, from where militants were attacking their bases in Paktika province on Thursday, the AP reported NATO as saying. The artillery killed several insurgents and caused several secondary explosions, a statement by NATO said. In southern Helmand province on Wednesday (November 26), Taliban militants attacked a police post and shot dead five police officers. In another incident, the US military said in a statement that coalition troops killed 15 militants and detained another six insurgents outside southern Kandahar city. An operation on Tuesday targeted a senior Taliban commander in eastern Paktia province who was believed to be a liaison between al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Five militants were killed in the clash but it was not clear if the leader was among the dead. According to the US military, another five militants were killed and four arrested in another raid Tuesday in Paktika province which targeted the Haqqani network. As many as 11 Taliban militants were reportedly killed in an airstrike in eastern Nuristan province on Tuesday. US-led coalition forces reportedly killed five militants and detained seven others during a raid in Tagab in eastern Kapisa province on Monday. A British soldier was killed on Monday when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb during a patrol near the Kajaki area in southern Helmand province. Afghan and US-led coalition forces claim to have killed 17 Taliban insurgents in Shah Wali Kot district in Helmand on Saturday (November 22). Also on Saturday, two Afghan policemen were killed and three others wounded in Andar district in the central province of Ghazni, while eight Taliban insurgents were killed and six others wounded in a clash with police in another attack in Ghazni's Aab Band district.  Two civilians were killed and 16 others wounded in a roadside bomb blast aimed at a convoy of government militiamen in the eastern province of Khost on Saturday. Six people were killed and 64 others wounded when assailants threw two hand grenades at a wedding in northern Parwan province overnight on Saturday. It remains unclear if the attack was linked to Taliban insurgents or a local feud.

Insecurity threatens food delivery for Afghans, supply routes for troops

The UN’s World Food Program (WFP) warned this week that growing security issues threaten to disrupt the delivery of food to vulnerable Afghans and supplies to US- and NATO-led forces in coming months. The WFP has now completed more than 80 percent of its pre-winter food distributions and hopes to supply a total of 36,000 tons of food to about 950,000 Afghans before heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures render many areas of the country inaccessible, Reuters reported Tuesday. Although the winter weather conditions will slow food distribution, of greater concern is growing insecurity along the supply route, according to WFP officials. Since January, there have been at least 26 armed attacks on vehicles carrying WFP supplies in Afghanistan. About 90 percent of UN food aid for Afghanistan is shipped through Pakistan and trucks must cross the heavily guarded road between Peshawar, the violence-torn capital of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, and Kabul over the Khyber pass.  WFP regional director Anthony Banbury said those convoys, which carry about 600 tons of food aid each day, are also being targeted by militants based in Pakistan. According to the Voice of America, the UN is now considering alternate supply routes, including a western one that would pass through Iran and a northern one through Tajikistan or Uzbekistan. Compounding the threat, the Tehrik-e-Taliban, an umbrella group of some 20,000 Taliban-linked militants in Pakistan’s northwest, vowed this week to increase attacks on the route for supplies for NATO- and US-led troops in retaliation for suspected US drone missile strikes inside Pakistan, the Pakistan-based Dawn news agency reported. On Wednesday militants fired a rocket that hit a terminal in Peshawar for supply trucks for NATO and US forces in Afghanistan, but no serious injuries or damage were reported.

Movement

2008: According to UNHCR, fewer Afghan refugees are returning home, while more people are leaving the country for better jobs and security, a trend that may increase regional tension. More than 5 million of 8 million Afghan refugees have returned home since 2002, but the number of those returning is falling, according to UNHCR. Amid pressure from Iran and Pakistan to send home millions of refugees, representatives from UNHCR, about 30 countries and international organizations met in Kabul in mid-November to mobilize support for the sustained return and reintegration of the refugees. (AFP, BBC, Nov-19)

UNHCR said in the first week of October that some 251,800 registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran had returned to their homes so far in 2008. Most of those repatriated (248,951) under the UN-assisted voluntary repatriation campaign came from Pakistan, while Iran accounted for 2,929 returns. (UNHCR, Oct-7)

Some 2,800 Pakistani families crossed the border into northeastern Afghanistan over the past two months to escape fighting between militants and Pakistani security forces in Bajur region.  Most of the people are reportedly in Kunar province.  (AFP, Sept-19)

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).

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	On Saturday (November 22), eight Taliban insurgents were killed and six were wounded in a clash with police in Ghazni’s Aab Band district. (Reuters, Nov-23) In Ghazni’s Andar district, two Afghan policemen were killed and three others were wounded by a roadside bomb on Saturday. (Reuters, AFP, Nov 23-24)
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	The government and the World Bank signed a US$8 million grant agreement to enhance wheat and cereal production by supporting small scale irrigation at the community level.  The Afghanistan Food Crisis Response project focuses on medium-term investments needed to increase food security.  (World Bank, Sep-11) 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	In Kapisa province, US-led coalition forces killed five militants and detained seven others during a raid in Tagab on Monday (November 24). (Reuters, Nov-25) A civilian was wounded when a roadside bomb exploded in Kabul on Monday. (AFP, Nov-24) At least four civilians were killed and 20 others injured in a suicide car bomb attack reportedly aimed at a military convoy near the US embassy in Kabul early Thursday (November 27) morning. (BBC, Nov-28) Dozens of Afghans rioted in Kabul after at least one civilian was killed and two others wounded Thursday.  It was unclear what caused the casualties. Some reports say a NATO military convoy was involved in an accident with a civilian vehicle while Afghan officials said NATO troops fired on civilians. NATO has denied firing on civilians.  (Reuters, AP, Nov-28)
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	US Task Force Gladiator, Afghan National Police and a contracted supply company delivered 75 desks, 10 chalk boards and 150 sets of school supplies to Jurghati, Hasanzi and Shawo Katay villages in Kohi Sofi district of Parwan province on August 26. (GoUS, Sep-5) 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)

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	In Khost province, a roadside bomb aimed at a convoy of government militiamen killed two civilians and wounded 16 others on Saturday (November 22). (Reuters, Nov-22) Foreign forces killed one militant and detained five suspects in Ziruk district in Paktika province on Monday (November 24). (Reuters, Nov-25) On Tuesday (November 25) an airstrike by foreign forces killed 11 insurgents and a retired Pakistani army colonel in Kimdash in Nuristan province. (Reuters, Nov-25) In Paktika, the US military said five militants were killed and four arrested in a raid Tuesday targeting the al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network. (AFP, Reuters, Nov-26) The US military said that in Paktia province on Tuesday five militants were killed in a clash. It was not clear if the target of the attack, a senior Taliban commander believed to be a liaison with al-Qaeda, was among the dead. (AFP, Reuters, Nov-26) On Thursday (November 28), NATO-led troops fired more than 20 artillery rounds into Pakistan from where militants were attacking their bases in Paktika.  NATO said several militants were killed. (AP, Nov-28) On Friday (November 28), gunmen wearing Afghan army uniforms killed a former Taliban spokesman, Mohammad Hanif, in Chaparhar district in Nangarhar province.  At least three other people were reportedly killed.  (The Dawn, Nov-28)
Water & Sanitation	CARITAS; ICRC, UNICEF
Comments	The US said over the weekend that a brigade of between 3,500 and 4,000 extra US troops due to arrive in Afghanistan in January will be deployed in the eastern region as part of continuing efforts to stop militants infiltrating from Pakistan. (BBC, Nov-24)

Northeastern Region

Location	Northeastern Region
Coordination
Population	9,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast
Movement IDPs
Food
Health	Afghan officials and the medical team assigned to the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Panjshir province coordinated with local leaders in two districts to augment health care to 563 people. (GoUSA, Oct. 23) WHO, Merlin, UNICEF, MSF; ICRC
Non-Food Items (NFIs) -Shelter	UNICEF, ACTED, Refugees Int’l, Mercy Corps
Security
Water & Sanitation
Comments	The Mine Detection Center (MDC), an Afghan NGO, has cleared 1 million square meters of landmines in Afghanistan’s northeastern region since January. According to UNAMA, 165 people have been killed and more than 1100 people have been injured in mine accidents in the four northeastern provinces of Kunduz, Baghlan, Takhar and Badakhshan. (UNAMA, Oct-21) 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	On Saturday (November 22), attackers threw hand grenades at a wedding in Parwan province, killing six people and wounding 64. It was not clear if the attack was linked to the Taliban or a local feud. (Reuters, Nov-22) In Badghis province, Taliban insurgents kidnapped three engineers of a foreign-funded construction company on Wednesday (November 26). (Reuters, Nov-26) More than 300 militants reportedly attacked an Afghan army convoy, killing at least 13 Afghan troops and wounding 11 others in Badghis province on Thursday (November 27).  Seven Taliban militants were reportedly killed.  At least 16 troops were captured by the militants. Helicopter gunships reportedly fired at the militants. (Reuters, Nov-28)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF, ICRC, DACAAR
Comments	The European Commission’s Humanitarian aid Office and the NGO ActionAid launched a cash for work program in northern Afghanistan on Wednesday (October 22) aimed at providing about 5,000 families with enough food to cover half of their daily requirements through the winter. The program is active in 40 villages in Jawzjan Province ’s Darzab and Qushtepa districts, and in Balkh province’s Dawlatabad and Kaldar districts. (ActionAid, Oct-22)

Southern Region

Location	Southern Region
Coordination	UNHCR
Population
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
Security	Eight Canadian soldiers were wounded when their armored vehicle was hit by an IED while on patrol in Arghandab district in Kandahar on November 21. (AFP, Nov-23) On Saturday (November 22), Afghan and US-led coalition troops said they killed 17 Taliban insurgents in Shah Wali Kot district in Kandahar province. (Reuters, CNN, Nov-23) In Helmand province, a British soldier was killed Monday (November 24) when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb during a patrol near the Kajaki area. (Irish Times, Nov-24) In Helmand province, Taliban militants attacked a police post late Tuesday or early Wednesday (November 26) and killed five police officers, while taking eight others prisoner. (AFP, Reuters, Nov-26) Coalition troops killed 15 militants outside Kandahar City early Wednesday and detained six others. (Reuters, AFP, Nov-26) Late Wednesday, Afghan security forces killed seven militants in Helmand’s Nahr Surkh district and recovered caches of drugs and IED materials. (Reuters, Nov-26)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	Afghan authorities this week arrested 10 Taliban insurgents accused of throwing acid in the faces of school girls and teachers in Kandahar earlier this month. (Reuters, BBC, Nov-25) As part of the first governor-led counter-narcotics plan in Afghanistan to replace poppy crops with wheat, Helmand launched a US$9.7 million (6 million pound) program October 14 to strengthen wheat farming. The program will distribute wheat seeds and fertilizer to 32,000 farmers in Helmand, enough to grow about 64,250 acres (26,000 hectares) of wheat. To receive the free wheat, farmers must sign a commitment to not grow poppy. (DFID, Oct-14) The US and the UN agree that Afghanistan will harvest fewer poppy plants this year after two years of record crops. However, according to the AP, the Bush administration claims that production will plunge by 31 percent, from 8,000 metric tons in 2007 to 5,500 metric tons this year, more than five times the drop in production predicted by the UN in August.  The UN said then that despite a 19 percent drop in cultivation, opium production would go down only 6 percent because of a rise in yield.  The US report estimates poppy cultivation is down a similar amount, 22 percent, but says yields have also fallen. (AP, Oct-24) India's Ambassador Jayant Prasad said that India has completed construction of a strategic road linking Afghanistan with a port in Iran.  The 135-mile (220-km) road in southwestern Nimroz is part of India's US$1.1 billion reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. (Reuters, Sep-12). Afghan security forces and ISAF delivered a new turbine to the hydro-power project at Kajaki Dam in Helmand province on Tuesday (Sep-2). It is the second of three turbines designed to refurbish the power plant, which should supply power for some 2 million people in Helmand and Kandahar. (NATO, AP, Sep-2-3) 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 three people were killed in an outbreak of highly contagious Viral Hemorrhagic Fever in Herat city that was first reported on August 25, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Officials confirmed 10 suspected cases as of August 27 and said most of the infected were butchers, shepherds or others involved with animals. The patients were put in quarantine. (IRIN, Aug-27)
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
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	The International Organization for Migration (IOM) inaugurated an upgraded Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) radio station and a media center in Qal-i-Naw district in the province of Badghis. IOM installed an AM transmitter and studio, with funding from the Spanish government. The new equipment has allowed the station to broadcast to every district in the province. (IOM, Oct. 24)

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