The UN refugee agency says it has rushed assistance to hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis driven from their homes by an intense military assault against militants in South Waziristan since October, including around 35,000 tents and 54,000 aid kits.
Since the government offensive picked up pace, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has distributed blankets, plastic sheeting, sleeping mats, kitchen sets, jerry cans, mosquito nets, buckets and hygiene items to internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled to the nearby districts of Dera Ismail Khan and Tank. UNHCR calculates that more than 280,000 IDPs " or 38,500 families" remain in the two districts that border South Waziristan to the east.
"It has been very challenging for UNHCR to provide assistance to displaced people in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank due to limited access to the area," said UNHCR Representative in Islamabad Mengesha Kebede. "UNHCR tents are a valuable support to the displaced families as they help to resolve over-crowding issues Other relief items like quilts and blankets will help people during winter," Kebede said.