Kabul: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that Afghanistan’s neighbours must accept refugees as the security situation in the country remains precarious and tens of thousands of Afghans are trying to flee the Taliban.
At this stage, our primary concern is that Afghans who are seeking safety can reach it, including across borders and into neighbouring countries if needed. UNHCR is calling on countries neighbouring Afghanistan to keep their borders open in light of the intensifying crisis in Afghanistan,” Catherine Stubberfield, UNHCR’s regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific, said, according to Sputnik.
“While UNHCR welcomes the expressions of solidarity made by several countries to either evacuate or resettle Afghans in need of protection, these efforts are unfortunately only able to benefit a tiny proportion of the millions of Afghans already displaced and in need across the country,” the spokeswoman said.
Such initiatives should not impede Afghan asylum seekers from going to other countries directly, or replace the essential aid within Afghanistan itself, Stubberfield said, according to Sputnik.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Council will hold a special session on Afghanistan on Tuesday to address the “serious human rights concerns” following the Taliban takeover.
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