Afghanistan 'facing food crisis'

BBC

Millions of people in Afghanistan face the prospect of severe food shortages this winter, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

In a statement released in neighbouring Pakistan, the WFP said: "Millions of poor Afghans in urban and rural areas may not be able to get enough food to feed their families if the price of wheat does not decrease significantly."

It blamed the situation on a bad harvest and reduced supplies from Pakistan, which dwindled after Pakistan's new military rulers clamped down on smuggling.

The statement said the daily supplies of seven 40-tonne truckloads from Turkmenistan and seven 10-tonne truckloads from Iran were not enough to meet current needs.

Concern over Kabul

The WFP said the situation in Kabul was a major concern, with an estimated 266,000 people dependent on UN food aid.

Hundreds of thousands more receive subsidised food from other aid organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.

It also said that prices had increased sharply in other areas of the country, such as Kandahar and Ghazni.

The WFP urged neighbouring countries to increase supplies to Afghanistan.

It said the reopening of the Afghan-Iranian border had not helped to lower prices sufficiently.

Food and medicines are excluded from UN sanctions imposed last month to force the ruling Taleban movement to hand over Saudi militant Osama bin Laden, who has been blamed for the bombings of two US embassies in Africa.

However, correspondents say many people in Kabul blame the UN embargo for food shortages.

Aid convoys

Since Monday, WFP convoys have been sent from Taleban-held Kabul to try to reach people in the opposition-controlled Panjshir Valley, 100km to the north.

The WFP said 600 tonnes had been sent across the frontline this week, and the organisation hoped to send 750 tonnes each month until the spring.

However, a spokeswoman for the WFP in Geneva complained that the task was being made very difficult because every time a convoy was sent, the road had to be cleared of mines which were then replaced as soon as it passed.

The Taleban and the opposition alliance announced a truce earlier this week for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.