ISLAMABAD, 12 Jan 2005 (IRIN) - The Pakistani government and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have announced that they will undertake a census of all Afghans who are living in the country by the end of February. It will be the most comprehensive survey of its kind and provide vital information to allow Islamabad to formulate long term policy on Afghan refugees and economic migrants residing in the country. Full report

TEHRAN, 12 Jan 2005 (IRIN) - Hundreds of Afghans have been arrested by Iranian police in a crackdown against illegal migrants, according to press reports. The Iranian daily, Iran Emrooz, said on Sunday that legal Afghan refugees have also been arrested and that the arrests have been taking place in the eastern cities of Zahedan, Zabol, Mashad and Kerman over the last two weeks. Full report

ISLAMABAD, 11 Jan 2005 (IRIN) - Lack of infrastructure and livelihood opportunities in the southern belt of Afghanistan, the region of origin of a large majority of Afghans living in Pakistan, has been impeding returns, according to an annual survey of voluntary repatriation by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pakistan. Full report

DASHTAK, 10 Jan 2005 (IRIN) - A UN-backed programme to contain heavy weapons in the northern Panjshir Valley has been temporarily interrupted by local ex-militia groups who threatened to block the valley if the process continued. Full report

KABUL, 5 Jan 2005 (IRIN) - Aid workers in the capital Kabul have raised concern about the increase in violent attacks on aid agencies over the last couple of months. In just four weeks, several NGOs have been targeted by gunmen and criminals in the capital. Full report

KABUL, 4 Jan 2005 (IRIN) - More than 100,000 mt of ammunition will be collected from across the country under a new programme, the United Nations backed Afghanistan New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) confirmed to IRIN on Monday. Full report

KABUL, 4 Jan 2005 (IRIN) - Tens of thousands of irregular militia groups will be disarmed through a new joint United Nations and government initiative, officials from the Afghan Ministry of Defence (MOD) told IRIN on Tuesday. Full report

KABUL, 29 Dec 2004 (IRIN) - Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries and further afield continue to suffer human rights violations, rights advocates warned the Afghan government on Wednesday. Full report

KABUL, 28 Dec 2004 (IRIN) - In an interview with IRIN, Habibullah Qadiri, the chief adviser to the Afghan government on refugees and returnees, said donor assistance was not enough to help the returnees reintegrate, while a lack of shelter and land remained problematic. Full report

ZHARE DASHT, 27 Dec 2004 (IRIN) - Tens of thousands of internally displaced persons [IDPs] in the southern border camp of Zhare Dasht are seeking assistance to help them settle in an area they have lived in temporarily over the last two years. Full report

AFGHANISTAN: Interview with chief adviser on refugees and returnees

AFGHANISTAN: Interview with head of independent human rights body

AFGHANISTAN: Interview with UN drug agency on opium proliferation

AFGHANISTAN: Demining dogs responsible for half of all cleared land

AFGHANISTAN: About 250,000 landmine victims struggle to make a life