May 18, 2007

 

Overview

 

More than 80 killed in violence across Afghanistan’s south and west

More than 80 people, mostly suspected Taliban militants, were killed in separate military operations by NATO, Afghan and US-led coalition forces during the week. Mullah Dadullah, a senior Taliban commander who was killed in a clash with coalition forces in southern Helmand province last Saturday (May 12), was the most notable Taliban leader to fall in Afghanistan since 2001. On Monday (May 14), at least 60 suspected militants were killed in airstrikes on three villages in Zahri district in southern Kandahar province. On Thursday (May 17), suspected Taliban killed 10 Afghan policemen and wounded five others in two separate bomb attacks that took place only minutes apart in Kandahar. Later Thursday evening, three bystanders were killed when a suicide bomber rammed his car into a government convoy. Later that evening, at least 14 suspected Taliban militants were killed and another 10 wounded in NATO and US-led coalition airstrikes in western Farah province as militants were leaving a compound in Bakwa district following a meeting. NATO officials said earlier this week that they expected violence to stay high following its recent success in targeting some high-profile Taliban commanders.

 

Afghan and Pakistani troops exchange border fire

Afghan and Pakistani soldiers exchanged small arms and mortar fire over the border overnight, across the line dividing the Pakistani Kurram tribal region in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Afghanistan's Paktia province. No casualties were reported from the clash. Tensions between the two countries have been running high over Pakistan's controversial plan to build a border fence along parts of their 1,510-mile (2,430-km) border to stem cross border infiltrations by Taliban and al-Qaeda militants. The fresh fighting follows an exchange of fire on Sunday (May 13) when at least three people were killed. In a meeting later to discuss that incident, a US and Pakistani soldier were also shot dead. The clashes also follow a meeting between Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf some two weeks ago in which both agreed to increase cooperation on security. The ongoing clashes are reportedly the bloodiest violence between the two sides in decades. Afghan troops last month tore down part of the fence being erected by Pakistan, and Afghan officials say that the move led to clashes between the two sides. However, Pakistan said that the clashes started after a patrol came under fire from Afghan troops. Karzai said Thursday (May 17) that Afghans were saddened by the ongoing clashes with Pakistan. Karzai also said that he hopes the fighting will not affect plans for a bilateral meeting on the Taliban resurgence.

 

Dozens dead in floods in northeastern Afghanistan

More than 24 people were killed overnight in flash floods caused by torrential rains in Afghanistan's remote mountainous northeastern Badakshan province. Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday (May 16) that floods have also destroyed over 530 homes in several districts, causing widespread damage to agriculture and livestock. The provincial governor, Munshi Abdul Majid, told the United Nations Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) that four assessment teams, comprising Afghan government officials and representatives from relief organizations, have been dispatched to the affected areas to assess the damage. However, he added, "People require urgent humanitarian assistance and I think we should not turn that into rocket science by having prolonged assessments. Obviously, after any disaster, people require food, medicine and shelter urgently--and that applies to Badakhshan as well." Other officials also called for the need for mechanisms to enable humanitarian actors to operate efficiently and in a timely fashion, adding that assessments should not add to the problems of the affected people.

 

Iran agrees to gradual and orderly expulsion of illegal Afghans in the country

Iran has reportedly agreed to slow down the pace of expulsions for illegal Afghans living in the country. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari, who is visiting Afghanistan, said on Monday (May 14) that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "has agreed to repatriate Afghans in a gradual and orderly way, in line with existing capabilities in Afghanistan." He said Iran has expelled some 85,000 illegal Afghan citizens since April 21. Safari also held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the issue, and an Afghan delegation will visit Iran to review methods used to repatriate illegal Afghan nationals. Iran's President Ahmadinejad is also expected to visit Afghanistan late next month. Iran has said it plans to repatriate some one million Afghans by March next year. Iran officials say the "foreign citizens organizing plan" was not aimed at Afghans who were legally registered, adding that even those expelled have the right to return. The recent campaign to expel illegal Afghans led to the sacking of Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta and Refugee Affairs Minister Akbar Akbar for the poor handling of the situation. There are nearly 2 million Afghans in Iran. A little over half of them are not registered with Iranian authorities and are classified as “illegals” by the authorities.

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.

 

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 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	At least 14 suspected Taliban militants were killed in NATO and US-led coalition airstrikes in Bakwa district in western Farah province on Thursday (May 17). (AP, May 18)   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)