Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson has set up an emergency cell phone network in Afghanistan. The system is already operating in Kabul and will be activated in other cities as rapidly as possible. The system now can handle 5000 users. The main purpose of the system is to support UN and foreign aid workers who have been using much more expensive satellite phones. 

In the last two weeks, some 35,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan (25,000) and Iran (10,000).