Uzbekistan completely closes its borders to Afghan refugees

Tashkent [Uzbekistan] August 31 (ANI): As thousands of Afghans have managed to flee from Afghanistan to other countries following the Taliban’s takeover, Uzbekistan has “completely closed” its border to Afghan refugees.

The Uzbek-Afghan border is now completely closed and no land crossings are allowed through the Termez checkpoint, CNN reported citing the Uzbek Foreign Ministry’s statement on Monday.

“In order to ensure security, the Uzbek-Afghan border is currently completely closed and land crossing through the Termez checkpoint is not carried out,” CNN quoted the Uzbek Foreign Ministry’s statement on Monday.

The statement further stated that the opening of the Termez checkpoint on the Uzbek-Afghan border is not planned any time soon.

According to the Ministry, attempts to cross the Uzbek-Afghan land border, regardless of their reasons, will be “suppressed in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan,” reported CNN.

Afghanistan is witnessing a surge in violence as the Taliban on August 15, entered the presidential palace in the Afghan capital and declared its victory over the government.

Soon after the terror group claimed control over the Afghan capital, several countries evacuated their diplomatic personnel and citizens from the country, and hundreds of people flocked to the Kabul airport in an attempt to leave Afghanistan.

Earlier, Uzbekistan allowed people from Afghanistan to fly into Uzbekistan as a transit point on their way to other countries, but, the Ministry stated, the country does not accept any refugees from Afghanistan on its territory.

“Over the past 12 days, Uzbekistan has provided assistance to a number of states in the implementation of humanitarian operations to evacuate its citizens from Afghanistan, who arrived in Uzbekistan and left Uzbekistan exclusively by air. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates that the Republic of Uzbekistan does not accept Afghan refugees on its territory, [Uzbekistan] provides assistance in transit which implies their strictly limited time in the country,” the statement reads.

The Uzbek officials emphasized that the country is “firmly committed to maintaining traditionally friendly and good-neighborly relations with Afghanistan and the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of the neighboring country”, reported CNN. (ANI)