Countrywide Conflict Displacement
As of 16 October, a total of 295,317 people were displaced due to conflict in Afghanistan. This is up by more than 8,000 people compared to the previous week. The provinces sheltering the highest numbers of IDPs are Nangarhar (34,872), Kunduz (29,883), Badghis (24,625) and Baghlan (18,788).
Central: More than 1,800 displaced people reportedly arrived in Ghazni Centre, nearly 700 people arrived in Malestan, Ghazni, and more than 500 in Kabul City. In order to consider them for assistance, MoRR and partners decided to assess the situation of access to basic services in the displacement localities of the city. In 2017, 18,574 people were verified as displaced in the Central Region, 6 per cent of the total displacement.
Northern/North Eastern: More than 7,000 people have reportedly been displaced to the district centre within Emamsaheb district, Kunduz. About 1,000 people reportedly fled from surrounding villages to Dasht-e-Archi Centre, Kunduz, and some 2,200 people arrived in Kunduz City from Dasht-e-Archi and Emamsaheb districts. In Shiberghan, Jawzjan, the arrival of around 4,900 people was reported from within the province and from Sayad district in neighbouring Sar-e-Pul. This year, 106,309 displaced people have been verified in the two regions, 36 per cent of this year’s total displacement across the country.
Eastern: Fighting between NSAGs in Khogyani, Nangarhar, erupted on 15 October and displaced between 7,100 to 8,500 people, according to initial reports. Families reportedly tried to reach safe areas on foot, moving towards Khogyani centre, Chamtala, Kaga, and Jalalabad City. Since January, 46,733 people have been displaced in the Eastern Region, 16 per cent of the displacements across the country in 2017.
Southern/South Eastern: Some 1,200 people were displaced within Ghorak district, Kandahar Province, and to Sangin district, Hilmand, according to unconfirmed reports. In Kandahar Province, more than 2,000 people displaced from Maruf district to Spin Boldak, according to authorities. A total of 66,739 people are currently displaced in the two regions, 23 per cent of the total displacements this year.
Western: No significant displacements were reported during the reporting period from Badghis, Farah, Ghor or Hirat provinces. More than 1,400 displaced people were selected for assistance based on eligibility and vulnerability criteria by assessment teams. In total, 56,962 people are currently displaced in the Western Region, 19 per cent of the total displacements this year.
Returnees and Refugees
From 15 to 21 October, a total of 951 people spontaneously returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan and another 108 were deported, according to IOM. From Iran, 8,115 people returned spontaneously and 7,693 were deported. This year, 91,003 people have returned from Pakistan and 317,004 from Iran.
In the same reporting period, 1,022 refugees returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan, according to UNHCR. Since January, more than 53,000 refugees have returned from Pakistan, 79 per cent less compared to the 260,000 in the same period of the previous year. The past week, 25 refugees returned to Afghanistan from Iran. A total of 1,063 refugees have returned since January, half of the more than 2,100 in the same period of the previous year.
Ongoing Response Activities (please also see page 2)
During the past week, more than 42,000 displaced people, undocumented returnees and refugees received some form of humanitarian assistance in all regions of the country.
CR: UNHCR commenced winterisation activities that will reach more than 10,000 families in seven provinces, five of them in the Central Region, over the coming three months. In Parwan, ARCS provided food and emergency household items to 1,260 displaced people from Sia Gird/Ghorband. In Khost City, SI and IRC assisted nearly 900 IDPs from Janikhel with cash and hygiene kits. WFP distributed food to 4,200 refugees from Pakistan in Bermel district, Paktika.
NR/NER: A total of 2,877 displaced people received some kind of humanitarian assistance in Balkh, Faryab, Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul provinces. ACTED, CARE, NRC and PIN provided cash assistance, WFP distributed food, SCI and UNHCR emergency household items and DACAAR WASH kits.
ER: More than 32,000 displaced people and undocumented returnees received humanitarian assistance and medical services in the Eastern Region during the reporting period by DRA/CWSA, DRC-DDG, SCI/DRA, NRC, WFP and partners of the Health Cluster. Responding to the latest displacements from Khogyani, provincial authorities (ANDMA, DoRR, RRD) dispatched food and warm clothing to Chamtala and Khogyani district centres and assisted 290 of the most vulnerable families on 21 October. The Department of Public Health (DoPH), WHO and the BPHS implementer AADA dispatched additional medical supplies to the health centre in Chamtala and Khogyani district hospital to cover the needs of 2,000 patients.
SR: In Lashkargah, Hilmand, ACF distributed cash assistance to nearly 1,500 displaced people. They had already received a first instalment of cash assistance and cash for food as well as hygiene kits ten days ago.
Uncovered Needs and Response Gaps
WR: According to ANDMA, more than 70,000 families in Ghor Province are forced to sell their belongings to buy food due to crop failure caused by poor rainfall and locust infestation. The Governor reportedly made AFN10 million available for assistance. The amount, however, could only cover an estimated 5 per cent of the food requirements to get the families through the lean season.
Security Incidents and Access Constraints
CR: Armed clashes are reportedly ongoing in Janikhel, Paktya, and the health facility in the district centre remains occupied by ANSF despite negotiations led by DoPH.