Nov. 25, 2006 - In this press release Oxfam is reaching out to the international community for increased assistance as it warns that "some 2.5 million people, half of them children, face chronic food shortages this year." The call comes before the onset of the winter renders many of the worst draught-affected areas in Hazarajat (central Afghanistan) inaccessible. This year's draught has drawn comparisons with the draught of 2001-2002 when the international community tripled its emergency aid to save lives.