More than 20,000 cross into Afghanistan during two-day Pakistan border reopening
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 8 March 2017 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, More than 20,000 cross into Afghanistan during two-day Pakistan border reopening, 8 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a608a.html [accessed 28 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 08, 2017
People wait to cross the border into Afghanistan from Pakistan at the Torkham border post in Pakistan's Khyber Agency on March 7.
Pakistan's border police say more than 20,000 Afghans and Pakistanis have crossed into Afghanistan since March 7 since Pakistani authorities temporarily reopened two main crossings that were closed after a series of militant attacks.
The figures on the number of people making the crossing during the temporary reopening was announced on March 8 by Faiz Khan, a Pakistani official at the Torkham crossing into eastern Afghanistan.
Khan said thousands more people were waiting late on March 8 at Torkham and the Chaman crossing into Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar – hoping to cross into Afghanistan before the two-day opening was set to end.
Islamabad closed its Torkham and Chaman crossings on February 16 after a series of suicide attacks in Pakistan that killed dozens of children, soldiers, and police officers.
Islamabad claimed that the attacks were carried out by militants who were crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan.
With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
