SWABI, Oct 11: After the launch of air strikes against Afghanistan on the night of Oct 7, newly-displaced Afghans have started to arrive in the two refugee camps located at Gohati and Gandaf areas of the Swabi district.

The Gohati and Gandaf refugee camps had been established during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

After the withdrawal of Russian troops from there, the refugees never deserted the camps due to intense in-fighting among the Mujahideen warlords.

According to local officials, more than 20,000 refugees are living in the two camps and the number is likely to increase manifold as fresh refugees have been arriving from across the border.

About Pushtoon 10 families, mostly women and children, have so far reached the camps from Jalalabad and Kandahar and put up with their relatives in the camps.

Relating the miseries which forced them leave their country, they said, “Life in Afghanistan is very hard. We faced numerous difficulties while crossing the border into Pakistan,” some of them revealed.

Surprisingly, none possessed legal documents. “I have no legal documents and had to walk through the mountains to reach Pakistan.” said Yahya Gul, adding that more Afghans would be entering Pakistan through unfrequented and difficult routes.

The refugees said that they would make all-out efforts to get themselves registered with the UNHCR to receive food and other assistance.

REACTION: The leaders of different political parties, including the Awami National Party, Pakistan People’s Party and Swabi Qaumi Mahaz, have demanded that all refugees be confined to the camps. The agencies should keep a watch on the refugees’ movement as it might lead to law and order situation in the area.

The leaders alleged that the refugees were involved in a number of crimes. They had turned the Gohati camp into an ammunition depot and a sale point of Kalashnikovs after the Soviet occupation and subsequent withdrawal from Afghanistan, they added.