Monitoring Desk
JALALABAD: In cooperation with the World Food Program (WFP), the Refugee and Repatriation department in eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday started distributing food items to hundreds of internally displaced people.
The food distribution process kicked off in Sararud district and would continue for three days, said Nangarhar refugee department director, Najibullah Qayumi.
He said as many as 921 displaced families belonging to Khogyani, Pachiragam, Sherzad and Hesarak districts of Nangarhar and some areas of neighboring Kunar province would be provided the food items.
He said these families fled their homes due to clashes between security forces and armed insurgents and took refuge in areas near Jalalabad, Nangarhar capital.
He said the food items, including flour, ghee and salt, were being distributed to the displaced families in line with a joint survey of the provincial Refugee Department, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
Qayumi continued the same families had been previously provided non-food items and cash assistance.
He said this solar year about 11,045 families were displaced from their homes due to insecurity and natural disasters in Nangarhar.
However, the aid recipients said the assistance was not enough to meet their needs and they needed permanent source of income before their return to their own areas was paved.
Sharifullah, who displaced from Khogyani district, said they fled homes due to insecurity but they were unable to find job in Jalalabad.
He said such minor aid could not resolve their issues and the government should provide them permanent assistance or provide them with jobs.
It is to be mentioned here that tens of thousands of displaced families have been residing in areas near Jalalabad.
These families belong to 17 provinces besides those from eleven districts of Nangarhar. (Pajhwok)
