KABUL: The United Nations announced launching of food distribution among half a million poor Afghans ahead of the winter season.
The Winterization Programme, which has already been initiated in some remote parts of the country, is aimed at distributing food among the impoverished ahead of the snowfall.
The humanitarian aid flow from the World Food Program (WFP) included delivery of 23,000 metric tones of wheat, pulses, edible oil and salt, said a statement released here on Thursday.
Charles Vincent, WFP representative in Afghanistan, said the Winterization Programme was the largest annual operation being carried out by the agency in Afghanistan which needed enormous planning.
"There are tens of thousands of people trapped in snowfall and freezing winds having no means to get food. These are the people that WFP is determined to assist," said the official.
Last year, proved to be the harshest and coldest during the last seven years, claimed dozens lives in the remote and inaccessible areas.
The food delivery operation has already begun in the northern Badakhshan province where winter season falls early as compared to other parts of the country.
The WFP had distributed 21,300 tones of food among 52,5500 people throughout Afghanistan as part of its Winterization Programme last year. | 
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