SPIEGEL ONLINE: How many displaced persons are there in northwestern Pakistan right now?

Sébastien Brack: I wish I could give you an exact number, but that's difficult. Local officials talk about 360,000 people who have fled from the military offensive so far. According to our estimates, there are about 450,000 displaced persons in the entire country. But these don't count as refugees according to international law because they haven't crossed any state borders.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: The figures vary widely. The United Nations talks about at least 800,000 newly registered refugees since the beginning of the offensive.

Brack: Nobody has a precise overview of the situation. The estimated number of unrecorded refugees is high. For many years, people in emergency situations have failed to register with the local authorities. But we think statistics claiming 800,000 -- or even a million -- newly displaced people to be exaggerated.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How bad is the situation for refugees?

Brack: For displaced persons in the Swat Valley region, the key thing is subsistence. They have very little time to find somewhere to go. Some don't know where their friends or relatives are. The streets will remain blocked as long as there is fighting. It's difficult just to get out of the combat zones.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Where are aid organizations housing people?

Brack: According to our estimates, fewer than one-fifth of the displaced persons are staying in refugee camps because many of them don't want to leave the combat zones. Many of them are afraid they'll be robbed. Most of them try to find apartments to rent in less violent areas or stay with relatives. One or two male family members stay back to guard over their homes and property. But getting away has gotten more complicated because rents have skyrocketed and transportation means, such as cars and rickshaws, have gotten much more expensive.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How many places are there that can provide emergency accommodations?

Sébastien Brack: I know of 11 displaced persons camps in the combat zone. Many of them don't have enough food, water or basic medical resources. The Red Cross supports two camps, in Malakand and Swabi. The people there have received everything they need.

Interview conducted by Franziska Gerhardt