QUETTA, June 28: The Afghan refugees’ camp in the ‘waiting area’ near the Afghan border would be closed in July and the repatriation of the refugees would be launched on June 30, United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Jack Redden told newsmen on Wednesday.

He said the first convoy of around 100 families would leave the camp on Monday. “The destination of this convoy would be Zari Dasht refugee camp in Kandahar,” he said.

The UNHCR, Pakistan and Afghanistan had decided to abandon the camp, he said and added: “Security is the main reason.”

He said around 19,500 Afghans were living in the camp, which was established for the registration of the refugees before sending them to other camps in Balochistan.

He said the UNHCR would stop providing assistance to the refugees living in the waiting area camp.