GENEVA -- The UN Refugee agency (UNHCR) faces a race against the clock to help provide shelter for thousands of the neediest returning Afghans before the onset of winter, the agency said on Friday.

Some 1.4 million refugees and 200,000 internally displaced Afghans have gone home under a joint UN-Afghan repatriation program since March, UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said.

The Geneva-based UN agency is working to provide shelter for up to 400,000 of them, AFP reported.

"It's a real race against time to ensure that needy Afghans have the shelter they need to get through the winter," he told reporters.

UNHCR and non-governmental organizations are handing out 50,000 shelter kits containing building materials to help the Afghans rebuild their homes in the war-shattered country.

Redmond said the UN agency had originally planned to distribute nearly twice that amount this year but had halved the figure after the number of Afghans opting to return home since the fall of the Taleban militia at the end of last year exceeded expectations.

UNHCR wanted to ensure it had enough money to provide travel assistance as well, he said.

"We still plan to spend $35 million for the shelter program this year," he added.

More than 200 tons of nails, as well as door hinges and tools have already been shipped to distribution points throughout the country as Afghans seek to rebuild their country devastated by more than two decades of conflict.

UNHCR still needs about $50 million to support its work in Afghanistan this year.

eaa0413 4 i 0279 che /afp-qa65 unhcr-afghan un races against clock to shelter returning afghans before winter geneva, aug 2 (afp) - the un refugee agency (unhcr) faces a race against the clock to help provide shelter for thousands of the neediest returning afghans before the onset of winter, the agency said on friday.

some 1.4 million refugees and 200,000 internally displaced afghans have gone home under a joint un-afghan repatriation programme since march, unhcr spokesman ron redmond said.

the geneva-based un agency is working to provide shelter for up to 400,000 of them.

"it's a real race against time to ensure that needy afghans have the shelter they need to get through the winter," he told reporters.

unhcr and non-governmental organisations are handing out 50,000 shelter kits containing building materials to help the afghans rebuild their homes in the war-shattered country.

redmond said the un agency had originally planned to distribute nearly twice that amount this year but had halved the figure after the number of afghans opting to return home since the fall of the hardline islamic taliban militia at the end of last year exceeded expectations.

unhcr wanted to ensure it had enough money to provide travel assistance as well, he said.

"we still plan to spend 35 million dollars for the shelter programme this year," he added.

more than 200 tons of nails, as well as door hinges and tools have already been shipped to distribution points throughout the country as afghans seek to rebuild their country devastated by more than two decades of conflict.

unhcr still needs about 50 million dollars to support its work in afghanistan this year.