- Title: 'God knows what will happen next' - Afghans flee to neighbouring Uzbekistan
- Date: 15th August 2021
- Summary: AYRITOM, UZBEKISTAN (AUGUST 15, 2021) (REUTERS) CAR PASSING THROUGH BORDER CONTROL AREA STOP SIGN BORDER GUARD OPENING GATE FENCE NEAR CHECKPOINT VARIOUS OF FENCE AND BARBED WIRE HOTEL NEAR CHECKPOINT VARIOUS OF AFGHAN RAKHMATILLA KUYOSH SPEAKING ON MOBILE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Uzbek) AFGHAN, RAKHMATILLA KUYOSH, SAYING: "The Taliban attacked Mazar-i-Sharif and took over. We all fled to the border We had an Uzbek visa. The Taliban captured 15 provinces and fully captured Mazari-i-Sharif. We crossed the border at night and arrived in Termez. But our families stayed there. I don't know what to do now." VARIOUS OF TRUCKS DRIVING THROUGH CHECKPOINT (SOUNDBITE) (Uzbek) AFGHAN ENTREPRENEUR, HAJI AHMAD, SAYING: "I arrived with my family, my wife, and five children. I had a one-year Uzbek visa. All my relatives stayed there. I was doing business there. Now we are here, God knows what will happen next. Can we find a job here, or will the war end there and we will go back, we do not know. My business, my house, everything stayed there." STOP SIGN TRUCK DRIVING THROUGH
- Embargoed: 29th August 2021 16:24
- Keywords: Afghanistan Uzbek border central Asia military neighbouring country refuge refugee speaks
- Location: AYRITOM, UZBEKISTAN
- City: AYRITOM, UZBEKISTAN
- Country: Uzbekistan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001EQE4RWN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Afghans crossed the Afghan-Uzbek border on Sunday (August 15) as the Taliban entered the capital Kabul and Western-backed President Ashraf Ghani left the country.
The situation on the border checkpoint near Ayritom village was calm with no major influx of traffic from either side when journalists were allowed to film by the local authorities.
One of the people who arrived at the border, Rakhmatilla Kuyosh, told Reuters he had to leave everything behind to escape and does not know what to do next.
Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic with over 33 million population, neighbours Afghanistan.
In early August, Uzbek military forces held large-scale military drills with their Russian and Tajik counterparts.
(Production: Abror Kurbonmuratov, Dmitry Turlyun) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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