U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
CENTRAL ASIA TASK FORCE
CENTRAL ASIA REGION - Complex Emergency
Fact Sheet #27 (FY02)    November 19, 2001


Note: This Fact Sheet updates previously released Central Asia Region Fact
Sheets and Situation Reports.

Numbers Affected

- On November 6, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported
that approximately 135,000 Afghan refugees have entered Pakistan since
September 11.  Although U.N. and NGO sources are reporting increased
population movements since November 12, it is not clear how many new
refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) there are at this time.


Afghanistan

- According to news sources, fighting among Taliban and anti-Taliban
forces continues in the last major Taliban strongholds of Kunduz and
Kandahar.  News sources also report that representatives of the Northern
Alliance in Kunduz and the Pashtun ethnic group in Kandahar are attempting
to negotiate the surrender of Taliban forces.

- U.N. agencies have partially reestablished operations in Kabul,
Faizabad, and Mazar-e-Sharif, as well as other key cities.  The U.N. has
begun moving international staff back into offices as the security
situation improves.

- According to the International Medical Corps (IMC), a significant amount
of looting has taken place over the past couple of days in Jalalabad. The
looting is reportedly being done by anti-Taliban forces and is targeted at
NGO and U.N. assets.  Anti-Taliban forces have also been seen driving U.N.
and NGO vehicles.

- On November 16 and 17, ACTED conducted a security and needs assessment
of portions of Northern Afghanistan.  The road between Taluqan in Takhar
Province and Pul-e Khumri in Baghlan Province, which passes through
Dasht-i Kilagai, has been cleared of mines and is safe for travel.  ACTED
also reports that while some IDPs in Pul-e Khumri have returned home,
there are still a substantial number remaining.  ACTED believes that most
of the drought-affected and many of the conflict-affected IDPs are not
likely to return to their homes before spring.


Pakistan

- On November 19, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) anticipated delivering
food aid from Peshawar to Jalalabad for the first time since November 12.
WFP reports that truck drivers are becoming increasingly comfortable with
the security situation on that corridor.  However, convoys on the Quetta
to Kandahar corridor remain suspended.  It is not clear at this time when
dispatches will resume.

- UNHCR reported that it relocated 1,445 refugees on November 17 from the
Killi Faizo transit site at the border to the Roghani camp near Chaman,
Pakistan.  This is in addition to the 3,168 who were transferred to the
Roghani camp earlier in the month.  UNHCR reports that refugees continue
to arrive at Killi Faizo and other border areas.


Region

- Barges continued to ferry humanitarian cargo to Afghanistan from Termez
over the weekend of November 17-18.  A barge delivered 230 MT of WFP wheat
flour to Hairaton on November 17, and additional food as well as non-food
commodities were delivered on November 18.  According to the U.N.
Children's Fund (UNICEF), the barges will make two regular crossings per
week, beginning the week of November 19.

- According to the U.N., the Northern Alliance has taken control of Makaki
Camp in Nimroz Province.  The U.N. also reports that humanitarian workers
are now working inside Makaki Camp to provide for the needs of the IDPs.
Water, sanitation, and food are the primary humanitarian concerns within
the camp.  The Iranian authorities are in the process of transferring
residents of Makaki Camp to Mile 46, where basic needs are being met.

- WFP reports that food aid deliveries from Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and
Uzbekistan continue despite the difficult security conditions on the
northern corridors.


U.S. Government Activities

New Actions

- The State Department's Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration
(State/PRM) provided an additional $4 million to support humanitarian
relief in Central Asia. The International Federation of the Red Cross Red
Crescent (IFRC) received an additional $2 million from State/PRM, bringing
the total USG contribution towards IFRC activities to $5 million.
State/PRM also provided $2 million to UNICEF's emergency relief
initiatives benefiting Afghan refugees. To date, State/PRM has provided
more than $32 million in humanitarian assistance in Central Asia.

- USAID/Office of Food For Peace (FFP) is providing $20 million to WFP for
the purchase of 35,000 MT of wheat flour for Tajikistan.  Tajikistan is
suffering from a serious food crisis due to severe drought affecting much
of the country.

- USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in Uzbekistan was
augmented with additional personnel to provide food aid support to USAID's
humanitarian assistance activities in the region.

- To date, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has airdropped 1,670,220
Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) into Afghanistan. According to DOD, the
cost of the airdrop operations, including the rations, transport and fuel
expenses, total approximately $120 million.


Disaster Declarations & Background

- On October 4, 2001, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs
Christina B. Rocca redeclared a complex humanitarian disaster for
Afghanistan for FY 2002.

- On October 10, 2001, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires James A. Boughner declared a
disaster for Tajikistan due to drought.


FY 2002 USG Assistance to Afghanistan

Total USAID/OFDA	$48,876,323
Total USAID/FFP 	$38,555,000
Total USAID/OTI	$1,687,820
Total State/PRM	$32,260,000
Total DOD	$120,000,000

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2002	$241,379,143
TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2001	$178,607,625

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan FY 2001/2002
$419,986,768



FY 2002 USG Assistance to Tajikistan

Total USAID/OFDA	$998,180
Total USAID/FFP	$20,000,000

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2002	$20,998,180
TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001	$67,210,000

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001/2002
$88,208,180

Note: full details of funding above are available in weekly USAID/OFDA
Central Asia Region Situation Reports.


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