April 27, 2007

 

 

Overview

 

World Bank study finds improvement in infant mortality in Afghanistan
Infant mortality in Afghanistan has improved since 2001, but the country remains among those with very high mortality rates. According to the preliminary findings of a nationwide study of infant mortality in Afghanistan by Johns Hopkins University (JHU), infant mortality has declined from 165 live births per 1,000 in 2001, to around 135 per 1,000 in 2006. An overall decline of about 18 percent in infant mortality is one of the first real signs of recovery, particularly for the country's health sector, which still has a long way to go in improving infant and maternal mortality rates that continue to be among the worst in the world. The findings of the study are based on the surveys of some 8,000 households across all 34 provinces of the country. Based on the findings of the study that was conducted between September and November 2006, some 40,000 to 50,000 children were dying annually in 2001, however, that is no longer the case. According to Benjamin Loevinsohn, a health specialist at the World Bank which funded the study, the findings were probably conservative since the mothers were interviewed only about children they gave birth to over the past five years. He added that health services only began to improve in 2004 when a massive program to extend basic health services to the countryside was launched. Despite an improvement in infant mortality, Afghanistan's maternal mortality continues to be the second worst in the world behind Sierra Leone.

Afghan and NATO forces trap some 200 Taliban fighters in southern Zabul province

Afghan and NATO forces have surrounded some 200 Taliban fighters in the mountain village of Keshay in southern Uruzgan province. Provincial police chief General Mohammad Qasim Khan told the Associated Press that Mullah Dadullah, a close aide to fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, and other regional commanders, were among those surrounded by security forces. He said acting on a tip-off, security forces surrounded the village on Monday (April 23) when insurgents were meeting. Khan said, "We are trying to get him [Dadullah] to surrender and to arrest these Taliban without fighting." Qari Yousef Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, on Tuesday (April 24) rejected the government's claim that 200 Taliban fighters, including commander Dadullah, had been surrounded. He said there was no need for such a large number of their fighters to gather in one place. He also added that Mullah Dadullah was not in Uruzgan province but was instead in neighboring Helmand province. Meanwhile, eleven people were killed when Afghan and US-led coalition forces attacked a militant hideout in Seuri district in southern Zabul province last night (Monday, April 23). Also, two suspected Taliban fighters were killed in a clash with Afghan and coalition forces in Bakwa district in western Farah province. According to experts, killing or capturing Dadullah would be a major victory for the Afghan government and foreign troops who have struggled to contain the insurgency.

 

French and Afghan authorities scramble to end hostage crisis as deadline draws close

French authorities are scrambling to end the hostage crisis of two French aid workers held by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said today (Friday, April 27), “We are doing everything in Kabul and Paris to bring them [hostages] home soon,” adding that France had no long-term plans to occupy Afghanistan as it was against, “France’s values of respect for sovereignty, national independence and territorial integrity.” The comments came hours before the insurgents’ deadline for the demands is due to expire. Last week (April 20), Taliban insurgents gave French and Afghan governments until April 28 to meet their demands or face their action against five workers, including two French nationals from the French aid organization, Terre d’Enfance, that they have held since April 3. Insurgents have demanded the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan and the release of Taliban members in Afghan custody in exchange for the release of the aid workers. The Taliban made similar demands ahead of the release of an Italian journalist, Daniele Mastrogiacomo. Mastrogiacomo was released in exchange for the release of five Taliban prisoners by the Afghan government in a deal that was sharply criticized by a number of countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, who said that such deals will only encourage more kidnappings. Two Afghans that accompanied Mastrogiacomo were beheaded by the insurgents.

 

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	Afghan and US-led coalition forces killed at least two suspected Taliban militants, wounded two others and arrested eight in Bakwa district in western Farah province. (AP, Apr. 25)   Four police officers were killed and two others injured after a police vehicle was ambushed in Guzara district in Herat province on Tuesday. (AP, Apr. 25)
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)