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Thursday, 20 December, 2001, 18:03 GMT

War on Terror: 100 days

The Afghan people can now listen to radios

The UK government has issued a report on the steps it has taken to combat terrorism in the 100 days since 11 September. The document describes the challenges facing Afghanistan and lists the ways in which things have improved since the Taleban were toppled. It also sets out evidence linking Osama Bin Laden to the terrorist attacks in America.

Click here for 10 humanitarian achievements

Click here for 10 things which have changed in Afghanistan since the toppling of the Taleban

Click here for the evidence which has convinced the UK government that Bin Laden is guilty

Click here for challenges still facing Afghanistan

The government lists 10 humanitarian achievements:

$890 million in aid for Afghanistan

72 UN staff in Afghanistan - close to the 75 in the country before 11 September

Afghan women

Since November, the international community has sent 89,000 metric tonnes of food to Afghanistan

Five million Afghan children immunised against polio

In Kabul, the World Food Programme has distributed 7,500 tonnes of wheat to 90,000 people

Before 11 September, there were 3.5 million Afghan refugees - 17,500 have already returned home

Around 36,000 Afghan children die every year from measles - UNICEF plans to vaccinate all children aged 6 months to 12 years by the end of this year

UNICEF has started an education programme, re-opening schools and supplying equipment

UN is sending 4,800 mine experts to defuse landmines across the country

Agreement of interim government builds starting blocks for a better way of life. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told them: "You must place the interest of your people above all other concerns. Only then will this process, this attempt to break the cycle of misery and destitution, conflict and violence, stand a chance of success."

Since the Taleban was toppled, the UK government says life has improved drastically for the people Afghanistan. It highlights 10 ways in which it is perceptively better.

People can listen and dance to music

Men can shave their beards

Afghan girls

Women can choose how to dress

Women can leave their houses on their own

Football and games can be played

Children can fly kites

People can watch television

Women can work

Women can study

Hindus no longer have their houses daubed in yellow paint

But the UK government acknowledges there is much left to do. These are the challenges still facing the allies and the Afghan people:

To end persistent civil conflict

To build a broad-based democratic government

To provide food and shelter to thousands of refugees

To enable women to take a full part in society

Clearing mines and unexploded bombs from 20 years of war

To rebuild the education system

To tackle poor health. Afghanistan has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world

To rebuild the economy

To reduce the economy's dependence on making and smuggling opium

To rebuild ties with the outside world

The UK government lists 10 reasons why it believes Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network are guilty of the 11 September atrocities:

The video in which he gloats over the success of his plan to kill thousands

Bin Laden and al-Qaeda have repeatedly said their aim is to kill Americans

They have a history of similar attacks - on the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998

They have tried to acquire nuclear and chemical weapons

Not long before 11 September, bin Laden indicated he was planning a major attack on the US

Detailed planning for the attack was carried out by one of bin Laden's right hand men

The majority of the hijackers had close links with al-Qaeda

A senior bin Laden associate claimed to have trained some of the hijackers in Afghanistan

Associates of bin Laden were warned to return to Afghanistan before 10 September

Since September, it has emerged that some of bin Laden's associates were naming 11 September as a day of action

Related to this story:
Afghanistan: New government needed (29 Nov 01 | Letter From America) How to sell the new Afghanistan (19 Dec 01 | South Asia) Afghan exiles cautious about return (19 Dec 01 | South Asia) Studying history at Kabul University (19 Dec 01 | From Our Own Correspondent) Country profile: Afghanistan (10 Dec 01 | Country profiles) Timeline: Afghanistan (10 Dec 01 | South Asia)

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UK Politics Contents: Interviews |