Afghan refugees 'on brink of starvation'
Shipments of food and pro-American propaganda could be air-dropped inside Afghanistan to undermine support for the Taliban.
:: Humanitarian groups have been warning of impending starvation inside Afghanistan because of political turmoil, drought and the threat of American attack following the terrorist atrocities of September 11.
:: The United Nations has warned that up to 7.5 million displaced people will need assistance both inside Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries.
:: The first British aid package to the area has been sent in the shape of a DC8 plane, chartered by the Department for International Development, carrying 40 tonnes of winter tents.
:: The shipment of 408 family-size tents represents the first consignment of a £25m aid package promised by Britain for the region.
:: US President George Bush is tipped to approve a £70m aid package for Afghan refugees.
:: If approved the aid package would be for the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, in a bid to feed the thousands of Afghan refugees flooding into the area.
:: UN aid convoys are already under way for the Afghan capital Kabul, carrying 200 tons of food and supplies from Pakistan.
:: The convoys were the first to depart for Afghanistan since the terrorist attacks and included wheat for Kabul and supplies for regions controlled by the Northern Alliance opposition forces.
:: Oxfam has warned that the first food shipment sent into Afghanistan will only feed 40,000 people.
:: They said 200 tons would only feed 40,000 people for 10 days or 320,000 people for one day.
:: Before the atrocities in New York and Washington, around 5,000 tons of food a day were going in, Oxfam said.
:: Parts of Afghanistan have been ravaged by a drought for around 10 years which has put many people on the brink of starvation.
:: Many aid agencies have been working in the country including Christian Aid, Oxfam and the Red Cross.
:: Many of its volunteer workers have been ordered to leave the country by the UN following the attacks in the US.
