Tajikistan readies camps for fleeing Afghans, UNHCR calls for support

Dushanbe [Tajikistan], April 17 (ANI): Even after eight months of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan, Afghan citizens continue to take dangerous steps to flee the country, seeking shelters across nations, while the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged the world to lend a helping hand to the refugees.
The UNHCR while urging the world to provide more support for the refugees said that since the Taliban takeover on August 15 last year tens of thousands of Afghans, mostly youth, are resorting to dangerous ways to get out of the war-torn nation.
The UNHCR Afghanistan further tweeted "women plus children in Afghanistan are bearing the brunt of the country's humanitarian crisis". "Millions have fled their homes, struggling to find adequate food and shelter. Robust donor support is vital and their communities must have access to life-saving aid," reported TOLOnews quoting the UNHCR.
In a humanitarian effort, the Tajikistan government built a temporary camp south of the capital Dushanbe for a possible overflow of Afghan refugees, Tajikistan state-owned media Khawar TV reported, said TOLO news.
Tajikistani officials said the camps have been prepared with the support of the UNHCR, Save the Children, and the Agha Khan Foundation (AKF).
"The camp consists of 64 tents and includes facilities with electricity, water systems, bathrooms and kitchens," said the spokeswoman of the Tajikistan Emergency Committee, Hamida Yousufi.
Mahdi Arefi, an international relations expert, also said that the move by Tajikistan is a signal of a contribution for Afghan civilians who may seek safety in case of any military and security threats in Afghanistan due to the Taliban.
Afghan experts welcomed the decision and called it a good move to assist Afghanistan people, reports stated further.
When the Taliban gained control over the capital city of Kabul, anti-Pakistan protests across the world were organised against Islamabad's role in helping the Taliban.
The Taliban took over Afghanistan in mid-August and the US military ended its 20 years of military presence in the country. (ANI)