United Nations Radio

The first UN refugee agency-UNHCR humanitarian airlift flight carrying relief supplies for civilians affected by the South Ossetia conflict arrived in Georgia Tuesday.

UNHCR says a cargo plane landed at Tiblisi airport carrying 34 tonnes of tents, jerry cans, blankets and kitchen sets from its central emergency stockpile in Dubai. A second UNHCR flight is scheduled for Wednesday from Copenhagen. The airlift and other emergency response activities, including additional staff deployments, are being financed through a $2 million withdrawal from UNHCR emergency reserve.

Meanwhile, Spokesman Ron Redmond says estimates are that as many as 100,000 people have been uprooted by the fighting.

"According to the latest figures provided by the two governments, the total number of people uprooted in the conflict is approaching 100,000. Russian officials in North Ossietia indicate some 30,000 people from South Ossietia remain in the Russian Federation. Georgian officials say a few thousand have fled south into Georgia proper from South Ossietia, but a registration must be carried out to get an exact figure."

UNHCR says it has offered humanitarian assistance to both Russia and Georgia.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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