October 25, 2001	Thursday	Shaba'an 7, 1422

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BAJAUR, Oct 24: The influx of Afghan refugees in the Bajaur Agency in the last couple of days has increased manifold as the continuing US bombardment has resulted in civilian casualties in different cities of Afghanistan.

The refugees cross into Pakistan through difficult and unfrequented routes due to the closure of the Pakistan-Afghan border. According to estimates, around 1,500 refugees enter the Bajaur Agency daily.

They mostly use unmanned routes close to the Ghaani Pass, Nawa Pass, Hilalkhel, Hashim Chaharmang, Sarowano and Manro jungle. The new refugees include the residents of Panjsher, Kandahar, Jalalabad, Kabul, Sarobi and other rural areas.

Amir Jamal, 50, heading a 12-member family, who crossed into Pakistan on Wednesday, told Dawn that his family had left Kandahar on Oct 20 for Chaman and spent two nights there under the sky due the closure of the border, but in vain.

“Then we decided to take another route to Bajaur and succeeded in the attempt,” he said, adding that the family, which did not eat any food for two days, had to go through very difficult routes.

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