UN in emergency Afghan food drop

The United Nations has made an emergency air drop of food aid to the remote Darra-e Souf area of northern Afghanistan.

The UN says it acted in response to reports of a number of deaths caused by the severe drought which has been affecting the whole region.

A UN spokesman said they would be sending a team to asses the situation, but felt they had to act immediately, and not risk any further loss of life.

The BBC Kabul Correspondent says these are the first reports of deaths in a region where the people are squeezed by a combination of drought and civil war.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service