U.S. sends supplies to Afghan refugees

Aid agencies say they are running out of supplies to feed Afghan refugees

WASHINGTON -- The United States is to begin airlifting tents and blankets to thousands of Afghan refugees who have fled to Pakistan to escape the worst drought in 30 years and decades of civil war.

The aid comes several weeks after the United Nations imposed sanctions against Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, aimed at forcing them to hand over suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.

Although not intended to hurt ordinary Afghans, the sanctions have driven up the cost of essential foods at a time when Afghans are suffering the worst drought in decades and the effects of a devastating civil war.

Afghans are also struggling to live through a bitter winter, with temperatures plunging to minus 25 degrees centigrade (minus 13 fahrenheit) at night.

The Taliban rule 95 percent of the country

Since September, 155,000 refugees have escaped to Pakistan, which is struggling to cope with the influx. An estimated two million people have fled the Afghan war since 1979.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said it was sending a plane loaded with supplies to Pakistan as well to the western provincial capital of Afghanistan, Heart, where tens of thousands of people are also living.

In the meantime, representatives from the world's donor countries will meet Thursday with UN officials in Geneva to discuss aid for the refugees in Afghanistan.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Taliban condemn latest U.N. sanctions as affront to Afghans

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