December 5, 2008

Overview

At least 127 dead across Afghanistan this week

At least 127 people were killed in clashes and attacks across Afghanistan this week, as the Associated Press (AP) reported that 5,900 people have been killed in insurgency-related violence in the war-torn country so far this year. On November 28, Afghan and coalition forces killed 33 Taliban militants when their patrol came under attack in southern Helmand province. On the same day, coalition forces killed four militants, including a wanted Taliban commander, in central Ghazni province. The AP reported that a weekend operation in southern Kandahar province left 12 militants dead. Four insurgents were also killed in western Farah province over the weekend, according to the AP. On Saturday (November 29), coalition soldiers killed 16 militants in operations against a “terrorist network” east of the capital, Kabul, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). In eastern Paktia province, one militant died Saturday, AFP reported. The Taliban claimed a suicide bomb attack targeting a German Embassy vehicle in Kabul on Sunday (November 30) that killed two civilians, the AP reported. On Monday (December 1), a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded market in Helmand province, killing eight civilians and two policemen and wounding 27 others, according to the AP. In Ghazni province, gunmen on motorbikes shot and killed an administrative chief on Monday, CNN reported. On Tuesday (December 2), seven militants died in a clash with a joint US-Afghan patrol in Helmand, according to the AP. Three militants were killed Tuesday during a firefight with US troops elsewhere in Ghazni, the AP reported. The Afghan defense ministry said villagers shot dead three rebels who were planting a landmine in the eastern province of Khost on Tuesday. On Wednesday (December 3), Afghan and US-led troops killed 10 militants in Helmand, according to AFP. A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden truck into the entrance of the National Directorate of Security in Khost, AFP reported Thursday (December 4). Also in Khost, AFP said Thursday that police shot a would-be suicide bomber attempting to get into an anti-narcotics office, detonating his explosives. The blast killed three policemen and wounded seven people, including three civilians.  The Danish military said two Danish soldiers serving with NATO forces were killed Thursday in a clash with insurgents somewhere in the south. Afghan and US-led troops repelled an insurgent attack in Helmand Thursday, killing four militants, AFP reported. On Friday (December 5), joint troops killed three armed rebels and arrested two others during a search operation in western Herat province. Eight prisoners died in clashes with prison guards at the Pul-e-Charkhi jail in Kabul on Friday, according to government officials. Meanwhile, the AP reported a top US military official as saying that the military is beginning a massive building campaign to house as many as 20,000 additional troops that are expected to be deployed to Afghanistan beginning next year.

Afghan, Pakistan leaders meet in Turkey to discuss regional security

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari vowed at a meeting in Turkey on Friday to strengthen cooperation toward defeating militants along their mutual border. “We’ve decided to draw up a joint strategy to fight al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations,” the AP quoted Karzai as saying after the meeting in Istanbul. The meeting came as Pakistan is under increasing international pressure to crack down on militants across the country. The US, NATO and Afghanistan have accused Islamabad of not doing enough to combat the thousands of al-Qaeda- and Taliban-linked militants based in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas who carry out attacks on counter-insurgent forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan has stepped up operations along the border in recent months, but is now under competing pressure from India, where police say Pakistani-based militants were behind coordinated attacks that left at least 170 dead in the port city of Mumbai (Bombay) last week. At Friday’s meeting, Karzai, Zardari and Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul jointly condemned the Mumbai attacks, Xinhua news agency reported. The three leaders also discussed efforts to prevent drug-smuggling and organized crime, the Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported. Karzai and then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met in the capital, Ankara, in April 2007 for the first round of senior-level talks in Turkey. According to Xinhua, Karzai said Friday that relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan had greatly improved since Zardari was elected Pakistan’s president in September, a month after Musharraf resigned ahead of impeachment proceedings being brought against him.

French aid worker released, Afghan worker for UNHCR killed

A French aid worker who had been kidnapped in Kabul has been released, the BBC reported France's President Nicolas Sarkozy as saying on Thursday (December 4).  The worker, Dany Egreteau, was kidnapped in Kabul on November 3.  His Afghan driver was reportedly killed as he tried to stop the kidnapping.  Egreteau, an education specialist, was kidnapped about a week after his arrival, according to the BBC.  France's foreign ministry had been working with Afghan officials to secure Egreteau's freedom. It is unclear who was behind the kidnapping.  Separately, Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, said that an Afghan contract worker for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was killed in Surkh Rod district of eastern Nangarhar province. Eide said that Belqis Mazloomyar was shot dead in front of elders at a meeting on November 26 of the local shura (council) at Lower Sheikh Mesri, a temporary settlement for returnees.  Eide said that the reasons for the attack remain unclear and no one has been identified as being behind the murder.  In October, British aid worker Gayle Williams was shot dead by two gunmen in Kabul. 

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	US troops killed three Taliban and detained another during a raid targeting a militant leader in Ghazni province’s Andar district on Tuesday (December 2). (AP, Dec-3)
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	Coalition forces killed one Taliban commander along with three other militants Friday (November 28) in the central Ghazni province. (AP, Nov 30) A suicide bomb attack on a German Embassy vehicle killed two civilians on Sunday (November 30), injuring the driver.  The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack (AP, Dec-1) A Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) staff member was killed in a suicide bombing on a passing military vehicle while riding his bike down the street in Kabul on Sunday. (CCF, Dec-1) In Ghazni province, gunmen shot dead a district governor and wounded his bodyguard as he left his home for work. The gunmen were able to flee the scene unharmed on Monday (December 1). (BBC, Dec-1) In the Mosahi district of Kabul province, Afghan forces detained 14 suspected militants on Tuesday (December 2). (Reuters, Dec-2) According to French President Nicholas Sarkozy, a French aid worker who was kidnapped in Kabul on Nov-3, was released on Wednesday (December 3). (AP, Dec. 3) Eight inmates were killed and 15 others were wounded in clashes with prison guards after the guards used gunfire to stop unrest in the Pul-e-Charkhi jail in Kabul on Friday (December 5). (BBC, Reuters, Dec-5) In Kapisa province, coalition forces detained four suspected militants on Friday. (AFP, Dec-5) The Danish Embassy was moved to an undisclosed location Friday (December 5), for security reasons. According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Klavs A. Holm, the move came after a rise in the security level. (AP, Dec-5)
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	In Panjshir province, an ISAF project provided Gonah Village School in Anaba district with 160 backpacks full of school supplies on Monday (December 1). The order was dropped off at the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) by the school principal. The PRT also dropped off two truckloads of supplies with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in Bazarak district. (NATO, Dec-1) 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)

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 an operation against a terrorist network, coalition forces killed 16 militants east of Kabul on Saturday (November 29). (AFP, Nov-30) Mohammad Hanif, a former spokesman of the Taliban and three of his relatives were shot dead at his home in the province of Nangarhar Monday (December 1). (BBC, Dec-1) In Paktia province, three militants were killed by local residents when they attempted to plant a roadside bomb in Jani Khalil district on Tuesday (December 2). (Reuters, Dec-3) In Khost province, on Thursday (December4), two suicide bombers attacked an office of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and an adjacent counter narcotics building in Khost city. The suicide bomber attacking the NDS office killed two intelligence workers and wounded three others when his truck blew up at the entrance of the building. The other attacker killed three policemen and wounded seven others when the explosives strapped to his body went off when police tried to stop him. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. (BBC, Reuters, Dec-4)
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
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	In Kandahar province, 12 militants were killed by a weekend operation conducted by coalition forces. (AP, Nov-30) In Helmand province, on Friday (November 28), Afghan and coalition forces killed 33 Taliban militants when their patrol was attacked. (AFP, Nov-29) A suicide attack on a police vehicle in a crowded market killed 10 people and wounded more than 20 others in Musa Qala district on Monday (December 1). (BBC, Dec-1) Seven militants were killed in a clash with a US-Afghan combat reconnaissance patrol in Nad Ali district on Tuesday (December 2). (AP, Dec-3) On Friday (December 5), US-led coalition and Afghan forces killed at least 14 militants in operations against suspected insurgents. (Reuters, Dec-5) Two soldiers from the NATO-led ISAF were killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan on Thursday (December 4). (Reuters, Dec-5) Two Danish coalition troops were killed Thursday in Helmand province while on patrol about five miles (eight km) south of the town of Gereshk. (AFP, Dec-5)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	On Monday (December 1), Afghan and coalition forces celebrated the opening of a new bridge near Kandahar city. The project was funded through the Commanders’ Emergency Response Program, which provides funds for projects to meet urgent needs of the population. The bridge was completed within a few weeks despite death threats against the workers. (US Government, Dec-3) 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)

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	In Farah province, four insurgents were killed over the weekend, according to the AP. (AP, Nov-30) In Badghis province, more than 200 Taliban attacked an Afghan army convoy carrying winter supplies to Bala Murghab district. At least 13 soldiers and policemen were killed and 11 wounded in the three-hour long battle late on Thursday (November 27). (BBC, Dec-1) In Herat province, US-led coalition and Afghan forces killed three armed militants and arrested two others during a search operation on Friday (December 5). (AFP, Dec-5)
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