First UNHCR relief flight lands in Osh, helping 15,000 people

Press Releases, 20 June 2010

The first cargo plane carrying UNHCR shelter and non-food relief arrived in Osh, Kyrgyzstan this morning local time, with a second flight expected within a day.

The two planes are UNHCR's first cargo flights to arrive in Osh since the crisis erupted and are providing 80 tonnes of initial assistance for some 15,000 people. Two hundred and forty tonnes of aid for refugees has already been flown into neighbouring Uzbekistan.

Today's flights were received by ICRC, which is storing and distributing the assistance with the support of UNHCR implementing partners. UNHCR has already provided implementing partners in the Osh area with vehicles and equipment to assess the situation of Internally Displaced People. This has been underway since June 17th. Relief items from our existing stockpiles have also been made available.

UNHCR will be establishing operations in the Osh and Jalal-Abad regions as soon as necessary security and other clearances are obtained. A UN security mission travelled today to the town of Jalal-Abad to assess the situation there. A separate advance team will tomorrow be arriving in Osh airport to prepare for a UN logistics base there.