ReliefWeb

Situation Overview:

Conflict displacement has continued into 2017 with 160,000 new IDPs in the first half of the year. While this represents around a 16 per cent reduction compared to those displaced by fighting in the same period in 2016, a rising insurgency and increased insecurity are exacerbating existing humanitarian needs while simultaneously generating new ones. The number of IDPs located in hard-to-reach areas constitutes 15 per cent (23,460) of the newly-displaced caseload while more than 55 per cent of those displaced are reported to be children who face particular risk of abuse and exploitation. During the first six months of the year, 5,243 civilian casualties (1,662 dead and 3,581 injured) were also recorded. While the closure of the Torkham and Spin Boldak borders for a month between February and March and the holy month of Ramadan stemmed the flow of returnee populations, some 231,200 undocumented Afghans (70 per cent from Iran) arrived in the first half of the year adding to the pressure on existing services and resources in hosting communities. Small-scale natural disasters, including a series of avalanches in Nuristan province in February, affected 39,800 (40 per cent less than Jan-Jun 2016) leaving many individuals in need of emergency food, shelter and medical support.