Flash Update No. 1 17 April 2016: Conflict in North-eastern Afghanistan

The Flash Update No. 2 will be issued as additional information becomes available. Situation This Flash Update focuses on the recent surge in conflict in Kunduz Province. However, it also includes information relating to conflict in Baghlan Province.

Kunduz Province

Following an escalation in conflict over the past 48 hours between non-state armed actors (NSAA) and Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) in Kunduz Province, at least 100 families have been displaced to Taloqan city, the capital of Takhar Province, according to an internally displaced person (IDP) screening committee. However, reported displacement to date has been limited, with most IDPs moving to locations within Kunduz Province, although OCHA has also received reports of some IDPs moving to shelter with family in Takhar and Kabul Provinces and the Balkh provincial capital of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Early reports indicated that NSAA had concentrated attacks in the Chahar Dara District in an assessed attempt to block the road from the district to Kunduz city. NSAA reportedly managed to temporarily break through ANSF lines before being pushed back by airstrikes and ground troops on 16 April.

Although reporting indicated a reduced intensity of conflict on 17 April compared with the previous two days, there was continued fighting around the outskirts of Kunduz city (and particularly in Nasriha, Tapa Murch, Rustaqabad, Alchin, Kanam, Charkhab and Boze Qandahari) and in other locations in all seven districts of Kunduz Province. ANSF warned residents in the Khazani area to the north of Kunduz city to evacuate the area following reports that NSAAs were planning a major offensive on an ANSF base in the area.

Initial (but unverified) reports indicate that from 15-17 April, the conflict has resulted in 84 civilian casualties of which four are fatalities. Four health facilities to the north of Kunduz city have reportedly been closed due to the fighting.

UZBEKISTAN Pyandza Termez Sharak-e-Hayratan Kaldar ! Emamsaheb TAJIKISTAN Dasht-e- ! Qala ! Rostaq TAJIKISTAN ! p

! p ! Dasht-e-Archi p Qala-e-Zal Khwajaghar ! Aiwanj BA L K H Kunduz - Takhar highwayremains Initial reports of estimated 35 closed to civilian vehicular traffic. families displaced from Kunduz to KUNDU Z Mazar-i-Serif Baharak   ! TA K H AR

p Taloqan Kunduz !! !! ! Bangi ! Khulm !! ! Chardarah o !  !

Mazar-e-Sharif p Khanabad   ! Namakab Farkhar Marmul No electricity in Kunduz city since mid day 16 April. ! ! Chal Reports of conflict in areas around the city. Four ! health facilities north of Kunduz city are reported to ! Aliabad IDP screening commitee identified Charkent have closed due to the security situation. ! ! around 100 families displaced to Hazrat-e- Taloqan! city from Kunduz. Sultan Eshkmesh Aybak !! Burka !

! Baghlan-e-Jadid Nahrin Dara-e- ! Khwajahejran Khost Wa SAMANGAN Khuram Wa ! Suf-e- Fereng Sarbagh  BAG HL AN ! Payin ! ! Pul-e-Khumri !! Dahana-e-Ghori ! p Estimated 500 families reported displaced from Baghlan-e-Jadid Initial reports of casualties district to Baghlan-e-Jadid district centre and Pul-e-Khumri city. Total casualties Military Civilian Unconfirmed reports indicate around 300 additional families displaced to Pul-e-Khumri city from Dandi Shahabuddin area. 15-Apr 85 25 60 16-Apr 48Dehsalah 29 19 ! 17-Apr 15Pul-e- 10 5 Andarab Doshi ! Hesar ! ! !  Areas of conflict Place of displacement IDP estimates shown on the map are based on initial reports. These numbers are subject to change as more information becomes available. 0 10km Kabul ° ! ^ Creation date: 17 April 2016Data Sources: AGCHO; GAULFeedback: [email protected]:Website:Website: https://afg.humanitarianresponse.info The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Coordination Saves Lives The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. http://afg.humanitarianresponse.info/ Flash Update No. 1 | 2

There has been no electricity in Kunduz city since the afternoon of 16 April and the road between Kunduz city and Taloqan city remains closed to civilian vehicular traffic,

Although operating under an enhanced security alert status, UN staff currently remain in Kunduz city.

Baghlan Province

NSAAs attacked on 11 April ANSF installations and positions in Shahbudin, Gajji, Kunduz Tepa, Qandari and Qutub Khel areas of Baghlani Jadid District in Baghlan Province. Both NSAA and ANSF used heavy weapons including rocket propelled grenades and artillery. Approximately 500 families were displaced to Puli Khumri city, Baghlani Jadid District centre and surrounding areas.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that following fighting in Puli Khumri’s Dandi Shahbudin District, approximately 300 families were displaced to Puli Khumri city.

On 13 April, ANSF were reported to have shelled NSAA positions near Pul-e-Dolcha village, approximately 2 kilometres from a roadway corridor to Dand-e-Shabudin District in Baghlan Province.

UN personnel in the area are operating under an enhanced security alert status.

Humanitarian Coordination An OCHA-led coordination team deployed on 17 April to Taloqan to conduct humanitarian coordination and assessment of internally displaced persons and possible trauma causalities. Of an initial 500 reported displaced families, the assessment team was only able to verify the presence of approximately 100 IDP families.

OCHA has alerted humanitarian actors in the North/North-East regions of the ongoing situation and advised partners to make preparations for humanitarian response efforts. A Provincial Disaster Management Committee meeting on 17 April in Balkh Province reported that approximately 35 families had been displaced from Kunduz to Mazar-e-Sharif.

The lack of electricity in Kunduz city and road closure between Kunduz city and Taloqan city can be expected to have a detrimental impact on some humanitarian response activities.

The Afghanistan Red Crescent Society has conducted humanitarian assessments in particularly remote and insecure areas of Baghlani Jadid District in Baghlan Province.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives | http://afg.humanitarianresponse.info/