150 Afghans die of cold, starvation in Baghlan

AFP via The News International, Feb. 8, 2001

KABUL: At least 150 displaced people have died of cold and starvation over the past few months in Afghanistan's northern province of Baghlan, the ruling Taliban mouthpiece Radio Shariat Wednesday.

The report said: "Among the dead were 22 women, 22 elderly people, 57 children and 49 young girls."

According to the radio, most of the victims were from the Charshanbe Tape camp in Baghlan.

Some 400 people died last week in displacement camps around the western city of Herat after temperatures plunged to as low as minus 25 degree centigrade, according to UN officials.

Radio Shariat said there were 12 displacement camps in Baghlan province for villagers driven from their homes by fighting.

Baghlan and surrounding areas, including the northeastern province of Takhar, have seen heavy fighting between the Taliban and opposition forces since the onset of winter.

The Radio Shariat said that UN Coordinator for Northern Afghanistan Farhana Farooqi and local authorities had visited the Baghlan camps in the past two days. It said: "They said the fatalities were due to cold weather and lack of food."-AFP

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