Countrywide Conflict Displacement
From 1 January to 1 October 2017, 266,087 people fled their homes due to conflict in Afghanistan, up by 8,200 people from the previous week. The province sheltering the highest number of IDPs is Kunduz (29,542), followed by Nangarhar (27,959) and Badghis (22,294).
Central: Due to heavy armed clashes in Shinwari and Sia Gird districts, Parwan, around 1,750 people were displaced to villages within the districts, according to DoRR. In Paktika, fighting in Gomal district reportedly displaced some 550 people to the centres of Urgun, Sarobi and Sharan districts. In Kabul, more than 500 people arrived from Baghlan, Logar and Nangarhar. In 2017, a total of 13,398 people have been verified as displaced in the Central Region, 5 per cent of the countrywide total displacement.
Northern/North Eastern: Military operations in Qala-e-Zal district, Kunduz, caused localised displacement according to unconfirmed reports. Displacement is also signalled from Bandar, a cluster of 75 villages in Kohestan, Faryab, following significant clashes between ANSF and NSAG. Verification of more than 1,500 displaced people from Chardarah, Kunduz, is ongoing in Kunduz City, and in Pul-e-Khumri, 1,100 IDPs reportedly arrived from the Sorkh-Kotal area of the city. Since January, 104,582 people have been displaced in the Northern and North Eastern regions, 39 per cent of this year’s total across the country.
Eastern: According to initial reports, approximately 1,000 people were displaced from Alishang District, Laghman, to Mehtarlam due to clashes between military forces and NSAGs. Some 2,400 people have been reported displaced from Chaparhar, Dehbala, Kot and Pachieragam districts, Nangarhar, due to insecurity and intimidation by NSAGs. Since January, 38,285 people have been displaced in the Eastern Region, 14 per cent of the total in 2017.
Southern/South Eastern: More than 2,500 people were reportedly displaced from villages in Shahjoy district, Zabul, to Shahjoy centre due to ongoing conflict. The number of arrivals in Tirinkot City, Uruzgan, has reached more than 12,000, according to authorities. The growing number of petitions handed in by families seeking humanitarian assistance is overtaxing the limited number of humanitarian partners working in the region. 57,536 people are currently displaced in the Southern and South Eastern regions, 22 per cent of the total displacements this year.
Western: No significant displacements have been reported from the Western Region during the reporting period. In total, 52,286 people are currently displaced in the Western Region, 20 per cent of the total displacements in 2017.
Returnees and Refugees
From 17 to 23 September, a total of 878 spontaneous returnees and 21 deportees arrived in Afghanistan from Pakistan, according to IOM. From Iran, 6,592 people returned spontaneously, and 6,539 were deported. In total this year, 87,700 people have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan and 375,599 from Iran.
Also from 24 to 30 September, 1,179 refugees returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan, 14 from Iran and 9 from other countries, according to UNHCR. Since January, 51,801 Afghan refugees have returned to their home-country.
Ongoing Response Activities(please also see page 2)
During the past week, more than 47,000 displaced people, undocumented returnees and refugees received some form of humanitarian assistance in all regions of the country.
CR: In Malestan district, Ghazni, DRC-DDG provided 833 IDPs with AFN8,000 cash assistance, and hygiene as well as kitchen kits. WFP distributed food to 23,100 Pakistani refugees in Gulan Camp, Tani and Spera districts of Khost Province.
NR: In Maymana, Faryab, ACTED distributed cash to 882 IDPs, WFP added food and UNHCR NFIs. In three districts of Takhar, ACTED provided 903 people with cash assistance, WFP distributed food and Mission East emergency household items. In Kunduz City, NRC provided cash assistance to 889 displaced people, WFP distributed food to them, UNCHR NFIs and DACAAR WASH packages. Further, WFP distributed food for one month to 1,841 displaced people in the city.
ER: In Mehtarlam, Laghman, DRC-DDC provided AFN12,000 cash assistance to 203 displaced people. In Lalpur, Nangarhar, NRC distributed ANF10,000 to 854 people and in Nari district,
Kunar, PU-AMI provided 112 IDPs with AFN30,000, in coordination with DoRR. In Nangarhar province, DRA/SCI distributed AFN6,000 for food to 266 IDPs and 1,666 undocumented returnees, of which 441 also received NFIs. WFP distributed the same amount of cash to 4,809 undocumented returnees in Nangarhar and Langham. In three districts of Laghman, UNICEF distributed NFIs to 1,440 displaced people. Partners of the Health Cluster provided outpatient services to nearly 5,400 returnees from Pakistan and IDPs and vaccinated 1,446 children at the border crossing.
More than 300 children were screened for malnutrition and 10 children identified with SAM referred to nutritional facilities.
WR: In Hirat City, Hirat, DRC distributed AFN26,000 to 560 IDPs from Shindand and Adraskan districts, UNHCR provided NFIs and DACAAR hygiene kits. Some 680 IDPs received NFIs from UNHCR, cash and WASH assistance will follow. In Qalae-Naw, NRC AFN16,000 286 IDPs, UNHCR distributed NFIs and hygiene kits and IRC conducted hygiene promotion. In Ghor province, UNCHR distributed NFIs and hygiene kits to 651 individuals and WFP distributed food. In Farah City, DRCDDG distributed AFN18,000 840 displaced people. Security Incidents and Access Constraints ER: Fighting in Alishang district, Laghman, and illegal checkpoints in the south of the district reportedly impede humanitarian access from Mehtarlam, the provincial capital.
SR: Some 40 health facilities in Uruzgan reportedly remain closed, depriving 420,000 people from access to health care.
WR: In Badghis, 25 health facilities in areas under control of NSAGs serving an estimated 175,000 people reportedly remained closed for five days during the reporting period.