April 20, 2007

 

 

Overview

 

More than 70 dead in separate security incidents across Afghanistan’s restive south

More than seventy people, mostly militants, were killed across Afghanistan’s restive south and southeast in separate security incidents since last Saturday (April 14). The latest incident took place in southern Helmand province Wednesday (April 18) night when a US-led coalition airstrike killed at least 24 Taliban insurgents in Sangin district. Afghan and NATO-led security forces also killed three Taliban militants disguised as policemen in Shindad district in the western province of Herat. Multiple clashes between militants, and Afghan and coalition forces that began last Saturday killed at least 40 people by Monday (April 16). As many as 10 Afghan policemen and four Afghan employees of a US-based security firm were also killed in separate attacks in northeastern Kunduz and southeastern Ghazni provinces, respectively. Officials predict insurgent violence to further escalate as NATO and US-led security sweeps continue in the south.

 

Human Rights Watch says Afghan insurgent groups committing war crimes

The US based rights group, Human Rights Watch (HRW), says Afghan insurgent groups, such as the Taliban and Hezb-e-Islami, are committing war crimes against civilians. In the report, "The Human Cost: The Consequences of Insurgent Attacks in Afghanistan," released earlier this week (Monday, April 16), HRW notes that insurgent attacks in Afghanistan have increased significantly since 2005, claiming some 700 civilian lives in 2006. The 116-page report, based on dozens of interviews with civilian victims and their families, and an extensive review of available documents and records, concludes, "The insurgents are increasingly committing war crimes, often by directly targeting civilians. Even when they're aiming at military targets, insurgent attacks are often so indiscriminate that Afghan civilians end up as the main victims." According to the report, the blatant disregard for civilian life by the Taliban, Hezb-e-Islami and other similar insurgent groups was in violation of international humanitarian law and the laws of war. HRW is calling upon the Taliban, Hezb-e-Islami, and associated groups to cease all intentional attacks on civilians and civilian locations, and avoid all attacks that do not distinguish between military and civilian targets. The report also noted a sharp increase in civilian casualties in military operations carried out by the Afghan government and international troops. However, it found no evidence that US-led coalition forces were intentionally targeting civilians. Nevertheless, the report urges the Afghan government and international forces to develop better rules of engagement to minimize civilian casualties. A separate report released on Tuesday (April 17) by the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) also concluded that attacks by armed groups, as well as military operations by national and international forces, have repeatedly resulted in civilian deaths, injuries and the destruction of property, adding that such actions were against international humanitarian law. The AIHRC urged all parties to the conflict in Afghanistan to respect the rights of civilians and to minimize the impact of war on civilians.

 

Five UN workers killed in a roadside bomb blast in southern Afghanistan

Four Nepalese security guards working for the United Nations and an Afghan driver were killed in Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar on Tuesday (April 17), when their marked UN vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. According to provincial police chief Esmatullah Alizai, the victims were traveling in a three-vehicle UN convoy through Kandahar city when a deadly blast struck one of the vehicles. The UN confirmed that four Nepalese contractors and their Afghan driver, who were working for the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), died in the attack. Separately, four children were killed and another four wounded in an explosion at a school in the western province of Herat. The UN has condemned the attack. In a statement released in the Afghan capital Kabul, the UN said, "Intentional attacks on civilians are a clear violation of international humanitarian law and the UN will be pursuing full accountability for those who are behind this." Yousuf Ahmadi, a purported Taliban spokesman, reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it was a planned attack and was carried out using a remote-controlled bomb. Adrian Edwards, the spokesperson for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said that the attack is certainly the deadliest against the world body in Afghanistan since 2001.

 

Abducted French aid workers in Afghanistan plead for their lives

Two kidnapped French aid workers appeared in a video broadcast by the Pan-Arab satellite channel Al-Arabiya last Saturday (April 14) and pleaded to the French government to heed their captives' demands for their safe release. According to Tony Burman, the editor and chief of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), who received a copy of the taped message on Friday through bureau contacts in Kandahar, "The French hostages said on the tape that they were told if there isn't a positive response on the part of French authorities to what the Taliban is asking, then they will be killed within a matter of days." Meanwhile, French officials say they are analyzing the video footage and emphasized the French government was determined to get their release. French President Jacques Chirac has reportedly asked Afghan President Hamid Karzai for assistance. Karzai reportedly assured Mr. Chirac that the relevant Afghan authorities will do their best to secure the hostages' release. Last week, Afghan President Karzai ruled out any prisoner exchange deal with the kidnappers. The two French aid workers, who work for the French NGO, Terre d'Enfance, went missing along with three Afghan staff on April 5. Later, Taliban insurgents claimed that they were in their custody. As of today (April 20), the fate of the abducted workers remains unknown.

 

Movement

 

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

 

Some 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 say voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan that are without proof of registration (PoR) ended this week (April 15), 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 will close two long-term camps in NWFP, and two in Baluchistan Province with 250,000 long-term residents. Refugees in Baluchistan can either return to Afghanistan or relocate to Mohammad Kheil camp near Quetta. Refugees in NWFP are moving to Afghanistan or one of ten camps in NWFP—refugees are pushing for a one-year delay.

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

 

Afghanistan Relief Efforts: United Nations Coordination Regions

 

 

 

 

 

Central Region

 

 

East Central Region

 

 

Eastern Region

 

 

Northeastern Region

 

 

Northern Region

 

 

Southern Region

 

 

Southern Region IDP camps

 

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

 

Western Region

 

Location	Western Region
Coordination	UNHCR; ICMC
Population	According to the IFRC, flash floods and avalanches in early March have affected some 200 families in Herat city; 918 families in Gulran district; 35 families in Cheshte Sharif district; 150 families in Shindand district, 6,500 families in Badghis/Jawand and Murghab districts, and 20 families in Gour district. (IFRC, March 23)   12,000 IDPs, mostly in Maslakh camp
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food	WFP has sent 127 tons of food assistance for some 3,515 flood-affected families in Badghis province. (OCHA, Nov. 23) IRC, CARITAS, UNICEF, World Vision, IOM, Action Contre la Faim; WFP;
Health
Non-Food Items (NFIs) – Shelter	UNHCR sent 50 tents, 1,000 blankets, 500 plastic sheets, 20 jerry cans and 500 lanterns for flood victims in Badghis. (OCHA, Nov. 23) UNHCR, Iranian Red Crescent, UNICEF, IOM, Ockenden Int’l, MSF, IMC;
Security	Three Taliban militants disguised as policemen clashed with Afghan and US-led coalition forces in Herat on Tuesday (April 17). (AP, BBC, Apr. 19)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	Provinces of Herat, Badghis and Ghor have also been affected by the floods. (OCHA, Apr. 6)

Refugee Camps in Pakistan

 

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