To further intensify the repatriation of Afghan refugees to their home country, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has appealed for more than $122 million for its extended operations.
To date, it has received $29.7 million, including a recent contribution of $ 6.4 million.
The UNHCR operation has taken another step forward with the closure of a camp in Pakistan.
Over the weekend, UNHCR closed Shalman camp for Afghan refugees in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) after the camp's last inhabitants left for home with assistance from the refugee agency.
Overall, UNHCR plans to assist some 400,000 refugees back to Afghanistan in the year 2004.