Thousands of Afghan refugees returning to their homes in the country's northern provinces will need help to survive the winter, a U.N. aid agency says.

Most are returnees from Iran and camps for displaced persons in southern Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands, mostly ethnic Pashtuns, fled their homes in 2001-2002 because of ethnic tensions, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said in a release Thursday.

While some have returned to their homes, many still live in tents and temporary settlements, provincial officials say.

The approach of winter emphasizes the need for adequate shelter. "Our children will die from cold," said one man who was outside his tent in Sar-i-Pul province. Central and northern Afghanistan usually get snowfall in early November.

Aid for returnees will include food and non-food items such as warm clothes and charcoal, supported by UNHCR, the U.N. World Food Program and the U.N. Children's Fund.

UNHCR has earmarked $14 million for its shelter program in 2009. About 10,000 returnee families will be helped to rebuild their houses in different parts of the country, the agency says.