AFGHANISTAN: Thousands of refugees fleeing U.S air strikes on Kabul and Jalalabad cross the mountains using paths and old smuggling routes

Record ID: 274704

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN: Thousands of refugees fleeing U.S air strikes on Kabul and Jalalabad cross the mountains using paths and old smuggling routes
  • Date: 29th October 2001
  • Summary: (U3) NANGAHAR PROVINCE, EASTERN AFGHANISTAN (OCTOBER 29, 2001 (REUTERS) WIDE CARS AND VEHICLES BELONGING TO REFUGEES PARKED AT BORDER SLV REFUGEES UNLOADING POSSESSIONS TO BE HAND-CARRIED OVER THE MOUNTAINS WIDE OF WOMAN WEARING BURKA CLIMBING FROM BACK OF TRUCK SLV OF WOMEN WEARING BURKAS WITH CHILDREN GETTING OUT OF MINI VAN WIDE OF VEHICLES AND REFUGEES WITH MAN UNPACK
  • Embargoed: 13th November 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NANGAHAR PROVINCE, EASTERN AFGHANISTAN
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Topics: International Relations,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA31BEPBJJ4G37FPIUK7M2A7QF7
  • Story Text: As the U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan enter their fourth week, thousands of terrified civilians are fleeing the cities of Kabul and Jalalabad using arduous mountain trails and old smuggling routes.
    Aid agencies estimate that 80,000 Afghans have now fled to neighbouring Pakistan in the past few weeks.
    Officially Pakistan's borders are closed except for those seeking emergency medical attention, so thousands are taking to the mountains with whatever they can carry.
    Entire families are on the move, women dressed in the traditional burka carrying young children while the men struggle with metal boxes and overloaded bags.
    The terrain is inhospitable with no water and little cover from the searing daytime heat.
    Most are taking these torturous mountain tracks towards Pakistan and pay off smugglers to transport them across the porous border.
    Some are lucky enough to have donkeys and camels piled high with clothing, kitchen utensils and even chickens.
    Once in Pakistan the refugees stay with local relatives or start afresh at refugee camps set up three years ago for their fellow Afghans who fled the ongoing drought.
    Taliban officials say that more than 1,000 civilians have been killed in the three-week bombardment although independent sources put the figure much lower.
    With the onset of winter just a few weeks away and no let up in the U.S. attacks, aid officials fear a humanitarian disaster of catastrophic proportions.

    (CAH/rb)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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