Afghanistan: Information on whether the city of Afshar is predominantly Sunni or Shii (Shiite); on whether there were checkpoints between Afshar and Kabul and/or Kharte Parwan during 1993 and 1994; on whether Afshar was controlled by Shii forces in 1993-1994; and on whether Kharte Parwan was controlled by government forces during 1993 and 1994
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | AFG19914.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Afghanistan: Information on whether the city of Afshar is predominantly Sunni or Shii (Shiite); on whether there were checkpoints between Afshar and Kabul and/or Kharte Parwan during 1993 and 1994; on whether Afshar was controlled by Shii forces in 1993-1994; and on whether Kharte Parwan was controlled by government forces during 1993 and 1994, 1 March 1995, AFG19914.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aae150.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. |
The following information was provided in an 8 March 1995 telephone interview with a representative of the Afghan Association of Toronto. This non-profit organization is a refugee advocacy group and helps Afghan refugees settle and integrate into Canadian society. The representative contacted by the DIRB is an Afghan who has 15 years of experience working with Afghan refugees in both Canada and Germany.
According to the representative, although there may have been brief changes of power during 1993 and 1994, for the most part, Afshar, predominantly Shii, was controlled by Shii (Shiite) forces and Kharte Parwan was controlled by government forces.
The representative stated that there were checkpoints between Afshar, Kabul City and Kharte Parwan during 1993 and 1994. Kabul's districts are controlled by various factions, each of which has its own checkpoints. The source stated that crossing from one district of Kabul City to another is "like crossing an international border."
Corresponding information could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.
According to the attached Calgary Herald article dated 12 December 1994, "most military checkpoints around Kabul are manned by illiterate youths". The attached Associated Press (AP) article refers to roadblocks around Kabul controlled by forces of Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (4 July 1994), and The Guardian makes brief reference to "innumerable mojahedin checkpoints on the 250 miles from Kabul to Emam-Saheb" (27 Aug. 1993).
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find attached the list of sources consulted in researching this information request.
References
Afghan Association of Toronto, North York. 8 March 1995. Telephone interview with representative.
Associated Press (AP). 4 July 1994. John Jennings. "14 Dead, 62 Wounded in Two Days of Shelling." (NEXIS)
Calgary Herald. 12 December 1994. Final Edition. Edith Lederer. "Child War Deaths at 1.5 Million U.N." (NEXIS)
The Guardian [London]. 27 August 1993. John Rettie. "Afghan Trail Open Only to VIPS, Liars, and Imposters." (NEXIS)
Attachments
Associated Press (AP). 4 July 1994. John Jennings. "14 Dead, 62 Wounded in Two Days of Shelling." (NEXIS)
Calgary Herald. 12 December 1994. Final Edition. Edith Lederer. "Child War Deaths at 1.5 Million U.N." (NEXIS)
The Guardian [London]. 27 August 1993. John Rettie. "Afghan Trail Open Only to VIPS, Liars, and Imposters." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
Afghanistan: A Country Study. 1986.
Afghanistan Forum [New York]. Bi-monthly. 1994 to present.
Amnesty International Report. Yearly. 1994.
Asia Watch. 23 February 1991. Afghanistan: The Forgotten War: Human Rights Abuses and Violations of the Laws of War Since the Soviet Withdrawal.
Critique: Review of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Yearly. 1993.
DIRB "Amnesty International: Afghanistan" file. 1993 to present.
DIRB country file. July 1993 to present.
Encyclopædia Britannica. 1989.
Encyclopedia of the Third World. 1992.
The Europa World Year Book. Yearly. 1993.
Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) [Hong Kong]. 1994. Asia 1994 Yearbook: A Review of the Events of 1993.
The Herald [Karachi]. Monthly. 1994 to present.
Human Concern International [Ottawa]. 1990. Afghanistan: A Forgotten War.
Human Rights Watch World Report. Yearly. 1993, 1994.
Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. Monthly. 1993 to present.
The Times Atlas of the World. 1994.
On-line search of media sources.
