AFGHANISTAN: UN warns of humanitarian crisis in inaccessible areas

Source: Reuters

KABUL, 29 October 2007 (IRIN) - The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan, Tom Koenigs, and the head of World Food Programme (WFP) mission have warned of humanitarian crises in some parts of the country if food is not delivered before winter.

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"Time is running out"

About 400,000 vulnerable people are in urgent need of food assistance before winter starts and snow blocks routes in the mountainous regions of central-west, central and northeastern Afghanistan, WFP officials said.

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The UN's top official in Afghanistan called on all warring parties in the country, including Taliban insurgents, to "stop attacking humanitarian workers" and "ensure a safe passage for humanitarian convoys" in volatile and inaccessible areas.

"This is not a political question. This is a question of moral obligation," Koenigs said.

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Where is the housing for the people who need food? What are they going to do? We are talking about people who live in remote mountain areas. If they had wanted to leave their homes, they would already have come to Kabul or Jalalabad or one of the other cities.