UN refugee agency reports record number of Afghans flee to Pakistan
13 October -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today reported that for the third week running, a "record" number of Afghans had crossed into Pakistan to escape fighting.
Since last Sunday, 2,102 Afghans arrived in Pakistan in what UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski called "the single largest one-week influx this year." The new arrivals bring to 16,000 the number of refugees who have fled recent fighting in north-eastern Afghanistan.
Among the refugees receiving UNHCR protection are 130 arrivals who left the scene of fighting in Taloqun, the former headquarters of the Northern Alliance, which had been captured by the Taliban on 6 September. Mr. Janowski said the refugees were "exhausted, traumatised and in a very poor state." The Afghans "said the battle for control of Taloqun was the heaviest they had witnessed in recent years" and "spoke of many casualties," he added.
UNHCR is providing those refugees with tarpaulins, plastic sheets, kitchen sets, jerry cans, stoves and tea. The agency is also assisting other Afghan refugees who have been moved to Jalozai, near Peshawar. In addition to supplies, the agency is providing them with wheat and oil.
Meanwhile, the Office of the UN Coordinator for Afghanistan announced today that despite some reported ceasefire violations, the latest round of national immunization days succeeded in six regions of the country. The Office requested both parties to continue holding their fire to allow the campaign to continue through 17 October so that "every child in Afghanistan can be protected from polio."
"If the ceasefire holds, the children of Afghanistan and their parents can look forward to a celebration of the last polio case by the end of 2001," the Office stated. Afghanistan could then be certified as polio-free by the target date of 2005.
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