United Nations Radio

Thousands of people displaced by fighting between government forces and militants in northwest Pakistan have headed home.

Pakistani IDPs

More than 600,000 internally displaced people had left camps, schools and other temporary shelters as of Thursday, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

UNICEF has been assisting the returnees by distributing hygiene kits and water purification tablets, while health agencies have sent necessary medicines and supplies to two districts. They also plan to support 14 public health facilities and 4 mobile clinics there.

Due to the rapid rate of return, nearly one-quarter of the 4,739 schools which housed the displaced people have been vacated. OCHA says getting these schools repaired and equipped for the new school year is a "massive challenge" for both Pakistan's government and the humanitarian community.

Roughly 1.6 million Pakistanis are still living in camps and require humanitarian aid. OCHA notes that even as people are leaving, an additional 1,500 families have arrived at the camps since early July.

Dianne Penn, United Nations Radio.

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