BBC News Online: World: South Asia

UNCHR chief arrives in Afghanistan

The new United Nations High Ciommissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, is Afghanistan on a four-day visit to assess what the UN says is the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes because of drought and continuing conflict between the ruling Taleban and opposition forces.

One UN camp, near Herat, in western Afghanistan, is said to be receiving one and a half thousand people each day.

Mr Lubbers, who entered Afghanistan by road from Iran, said he will tell the Taleban and their opponents it is madness to go on fighting when faced with the conditions caused by the drought.

Neighbouring countries which are already catering for Afghan refugees Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan say they cannot absorb any further influx.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service