ISLAMABAD, June 25, 2009 (AFP) - United Nations officials on Thursday urged Pakistani authorities to ensure swathes of the northwest were secure before millions of people displaced by an anti-Taliban offensive returned home.
About two million people have fled a punishing ground and air assault against Taliban fighters in and around Pakistan's Swat valley, which began in late April after insurgents advanced towards Islamabad.
The military has said the Swat operation is almost wrapped up and has urged people to return home, but much of the conflict zone has been devastated by the offensive, and sporadic outbreaks of fighting rumble on.
"We've noticed that a limited number of IDPs (internally displaced persons) have chosen to come back, to take care of the fields and crops, to return to their houses," said UN humanitarian coordinator Martin Mogwanja.
"It's very important that IDPs who come back have an appropriate set of conditions including security, safety, food, water, education, sanitation," he told a press conference in Islamabad.
"We're concerned about security. We have to assess the situation not only on the main roads but also in villages," he added.
As the Swat campaign comes to an end, the army says it is preparing to open up a second front against the Taliban in the lawless northwest tribal belt along the Afghan border where a militant commander is holed up.
Fearing an offensive there, the army said 45,000 people have already fled to the neighbouring districts of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan.
"We have to be ready for any wave of people coming as a result of military operations in Waziristan," said Maha Ahmed, a senior official with the UN's World Food Programme.
"We mobilised resources and bought food, but we still need money."
The United Nations in May appealed for 543 million dollars from donors to provide for people uprooted by the conflict who are living in camps or packed into overburdened relatives' homes.
Only 36 percent of the money has so far been received, officials said.
"We still have to provide emergency items such as food, shelters, particularly to the most vulnerable ones, women and children," said Mogwanja.
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Received by NewsEdge Insight: 06/25/2009 05:33:52
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