Western Region; Minutes of Humanitarian Regional Team (HRT) Meeting, Date: Thursday, 25 August 2016; Time: 14:00; Venue: OCHA/UNICEF/WHO Common Conference Room; Meeting Facilitator: OCHA # Agenda item Key points discussed Decision/action point (s) 1 Opening Remarks OCHA welcomed the meeting participants. The previous meeting minutes were reviewed and adopted as a correct record of the deliberations. The meeting agreed and adopted the proposed agenda items. OCHA gave a brief of the main WR humanitarian priorities. Amongst them are the increasing conflict induced displacements in Khakisafed, Pushtrod & Farah City (Farah), Access to NSAA controlled Pasaband, Shahrak, Murghab valley (Ghor), Herat City (Herat), Balamurghab (Badghis). areas a main challenge – The Farah City response to Pushtrod IDPs is well established, the response for cities HRT members to maximize Herat, Qala-e-Naw, and Chagcharan is also well established attending to regular and on current acceptance normal IDPs inflow. The Shahrak (Ghor) response is largely complete except food levels. response which WFP is urged to urgently address. However, ongoing fighting and Distress calls on pending clashes are inhibiting access to Balamurghab, Khakisafed/Pushtrod, Pasaband and WFP food response for Murghab valley. Shahrak (Ghor) IDPs. 2 Security Update (INSO) INSO briefed WR HRT members noting the intense fighting reported in Akazai area, Balamurghab (Badghis) Balamurghab DAC (Badghis). Fighting is reportedly ongoing though now sporadic and remain volatile and rather subdued. NSAAs launched a large scale attack on several areas, the intention was inaccessible for to capture Balamurghab DAC and surrounding areas. There are no major incidents humanitarian assessments reported from other parts of Badghis province. However, IED detonations were reported and response. along the along main roads leading to Balamurghab DAC. The volatile clashes started on the 14th of August with NSAAs clear intent to capture Balamurghab DAC. NSAA reinforcements from Herat province and other parts of Badghis were mobilized for this major attack. Reports show that NSAAs are prepared to continue the attack until the DAC falls. Other reports show that NSAAs are ready to sustain the ongoing assault for the next 6 months. Information just received show that NSAAs are preparing for yet another large scale coordinated attack on Balamurghab DAC. The security situation in Farah province remains tense and the armed conflict continues in a number of areas. Fighting has receded in Pushtrod (Farah) DAC peripheries, Raising concerns with however sporadic clashes are still ongoing. Government forces reportedly abandoned reported abductions of some check posts and now holed in Pushtrod DAC. IED detonations around Pushtrod health workers in Farah DAC reportedly causing fatalities for both civilians and livestock. The abduction of health province. workers in the reporting period is notable this period, albeit they were released after negotiation led by the elders. In Ghor province, Pasaband district is reportedly the ongoing conflict hotspot. NSAAs launched yet another coordinated attack targeting Pasaband DAC check posts Pasaband conflict inhibiting peripheries, the latest attacks (since 23 August) came from two directions. NSAAs are access to reported IDPs in reportedly active within the Pasaband DAC itself. However, Pasaband DAC itself is well NSAA controlled areas. reinforced. Casualties have been reported on both sides of the conflict though figures are not clear. Pasaband DAC and the vicinity has been a scene of clashes since July 2016. In Shahrak district, armed conflict erupted in Kamenj area between two rival groups with casualties for both conflict parties. In Murghab, NSAAs are reportedly mobilised and awaiting the decision from the chain of command. No changes in other parts of the province was reported. In Cheste-Sherrif, airstrikes killed 10 NSAAs and some injuries reported too. No big changes were reported in Shindand intra NSAA clashes. A trend of magnetic IEDs have been noted in Herat city, 2 incidents recorded so far in the same area. No major changes in security situation of Hirat reported in this period of time. The presentation shows that WR is probably at the peak of the fighting season. The ongoing conflict continue to be the main determinant of humanitarian trends and needs. WR HRT members to Displacements are largely shaped by the ongoing conflict. WR HRT members were urged strengthen situational to constantly monitor the contextual developments to address any humanitarian issues awareness for timely and arising. It was also noted that the ongoing conflict will affect access to areas of priority appropriate humanitarian interest. WR HRT members were urged to maximize on their already existing acceptance response. in their areas of operation to facilitate humanitarian action to priority areas. 3 Displacement updates; A Western Region displacement power point presentation (please see attached) was Clusters/WR HRT reported, assessed and made by OCHA WR. Below are amongst the main highlights; members to strengthen responses OCHA updated the WR HRT that the reporting period saw the screening committee (SC) their response (OCHA/Cluster Leads). preparedness as conflict meeting several times to review IDPs petitions. A total of 35 petitions were received in continue to drive Herat. 344 IDP families out of 677 families were recommended for needs assessment. displacements. Reviewing the response matrix, OCHA reported that ERM Partners (DRC, NRC and DACAAR) responded to 132 displaced families in August 2016. These IDPs arrived from Hilmand province. The response by ERM partners was within 24 hours after the needs assessment by humanitarian teams. The displacement response needs were identified and addressed as food, NFIs, hygiene kits and hygiene education. WFP, UNICEF and DRC reached the majority of displaced caseloads in WR. The Distress calls on pending humanitarian responses included cash assistance and in kind humanitarian assistance. WFP food response for However, food rations for 430 displaced families in Shahrak district (Ghor) remain a major Shahrak (Ghor) IDPs. gap demanding immediate attention. Food distress calls continue to be received from the 430 displaced families in Shahrak. The assessment recommended food assistance over a month ago. WFP committed to attend to this as a matter of urgency. Conflict displaced communities in areas controlled by NSAAs remain inaccessible. This WR HRT members to trend is notable in Pasaband district (Ghor), Balamurghab district (Badghis), maximize on current Khakisafed/Pushtrod areas. The WR HRT members was urged to explore access options acceptance levels to of reaching out to these areas. OCHA urged partners to use their existing acceptance ensure access to levels in these areas. displacement locations. OCHA presentation showed that August 2016 assessment team comprised DoRR, DRC, NRC, IRC, DACAAR, WFP/PAT and ARAA. These teams assessed, 227 Families in Herat City alone. Of the assistance delivered, 168 families were reached in Herat. In Badghis, 118 families were assessed, 54 families were recommended for humanitarian assistance. In Farah, 410 families were assessed as displaced. Of these, 368 families received humanitarian assistance as recommended. In Ghor, 53 families were assessed and assisted in August 2016. The 430 families displaced in July 2016 received assistance in Shahrak district. The Shahrak caseload was assessed in July 2016. 4 Update on Polio Afghanistan (and Pakistan) remain the polio endemic countries. Pakistan reported 13 Polio campaign to regularly Campaign polio cases whilst Afghanistan reported 8 polio cases this year. Two of the Afghanistan keep WR HRT updated on (WHO/UNICEF) cases were reported yesterday (24 August 2016). WHO updated that the national polio key developments of common interest. campaign immunization programme intends to cover all children under five across the country. The NIDs aims at reaching maximum numbers, targeting areas of with recent evidence of transmission. The national polio campaign is starting on 29 August 2016, 1.3 million children are the target for Western Region. The polio campaign in Western Region was affected by the ban for one month in Farah, this has since been resolved and the campaign resumed. More bans are however expected as fighting intensifies and continues. Increasing concern on Since 27 June 2015, there is no polio case reported in Western Region. However, the polio transmission as risk of transmission remains high considering ongoing conflict triggering population conflict drives population movements. WHO reported the Ghor resumption of the polio campaign after suspension movements. related to insecurity. All districts will now be covered. However, ongoing fighting in Pasaband and Taywara districts may be a challenge. UNICEF provides the vaccines and is responsible for the social mobilisation for the polio campaign. The focus and efforts are to ensure zero polio cases reported. There is need to strengthen polio campaigns to target IDPs and mobile populations. Polio campaign transit teams are already in place and they are deployed throughout. 5 Cluster Updates; FSAC update FSAC to share locust Ongoing response/plans, FSAC updated WR HRT members of the completion of locust infestation assessment infestation assessment preparedness, survey in Dawlatyar district (Ghor). Data capturing, and analysis is currently underway, survey results with WR challenges