June 1, 2007

 

 

Overview

 

 

Dozens killed in violence across Afghanistan's south and west

Dozens of people, including civilians, were killed in violence across Afghanistan's south and west this week. Afghan and NATO-led security forces killed some 20 Taliban fighters, including Taliban commander Mullah Naqibullah, in a three-hour gun battle in Zhari district in southern Kandahar province today (Friday, June 1). A roadside bomb struck a NATO convoy in eastern Laghman province, some 60 miles (97 km) east of the capital Kabul today (June 1), killing one NATO soldier. Two women were killed and six other people were wounded when a rocket aimed at a US military base in northeastern Kunar province fell short of its target and landed on a house last night (Thursday, May 31). Six Taliban fighters were also killed in Zurmat district in southeastern Paktia province late yesterday (Thursday, May 31) after they ambushed the home of the deputy provincial police chief. NATO claim to have killed dozens of Taliban fighters in an airstrike yesterday (Thursday) in Sangin district in southern Helmand province. On Wednesday (May 30), 16 Afghan policemen and 10 suspected Taliban fighters were killed in a clash in Shahjoy district in southern Zabul province. Also on Wednesday (May 30), 10 suspected Taliban insurgents were killed and another 15 wounded in a clash with Afghan security forces in Pusht Road district in western Farah province. Also on Wednesday (May 30), four Afghan policemen were killed and another wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in southern Uruzgan province. Separately, Afghan and US-led coalition forces claim to have killed six suspected Taliban militants near Jalalabad city in eastern Nangarhar province. According to NATO sources, there were no civilian casualties from the clash.

 

NATO helicopter shot down in southern Afghanistan amid continuing violence

At least seven military personnel aboard a US CH-47 Chinook helicopter were killed when it was apparently shot down on Wednesday (May 30) in southern Afghanistan. Five US crew members, one Briton, and a Canadian were among the dead. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed that one of its helicopters crashed in southern Afghanistan, but provided no details. NATO also said that the team responding to the crash was ambushed but did not say if there were any casualties. Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a purported Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter in southern Helmand province, which is the focus of intense military action by Afghan and Western forces. The helicopter reportedly went down shortly after dropping off some 40 soldiers on board.

 

EU to establish police mission in Afghanistan

The European Union (EU) on Wednesday (May 30) agreed to establish an EU Police Mission (EUPOL) in Afghanistan. The mission is aimed at helping the Afghan government develop sustainable and effective civilian policing arrangements and to ensure appropriate interactions in the wider criminal justice system. According to an EU press release, “The mission will carry out its tasks through monitoring, mentoring, advice and training at the level of the Afghan Ministry of Interior, regions and provinces.” It will consist of some 160 police, law enforcement and justice experts from EU nations. The operational phase of the mission is scheduled to begin on June 15 for a period of three years. Germany’s Brigadier-General Friedrich Eichele will lead the EUPOL.

 

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	On Wednesday (May 30), 10 suspected Taliban insurgents were killed and another 15 wounded in a clash with Afghan security forces in Pusht Road district in western Farah province. (CNN, AP, May 30)   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)
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)   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)