Afghans on life in Uzbekistan, analyst comments
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3 سال پیش
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(22 Aug 2021) Three weeks
(22 Aug 2021) Three weeks ago, when the fight with the Taliban for the capital of Jowzjan Province in Afghanistan just began, Azizillo Khudoiberdi crossed the border to start a new life in Uzbekistan.
He found a job in Termez at a construction site and planned to move his family, but he was one of the lucky few who managed to find refuge in the ex-Soviet republic in recent days - those without visas have not been allowed in.
"I'm afraid of the Taliban," he told The Associated Press on Saturday.
He added: "If we come back, we might be accused of fleeing on purpose, of being an escapee. We can be tortured, beaten. We are at risk. That's why I can't come back until there is a peace and calm with Taliban."
As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in a swift power grab, thousands of Afghans have been looking for ways to escape what they see as a return of a ruthless fundamentalist rule.
But neighbouring Uzbekistan appears wary about a flood of Afghan refugees.
Experts note that Uzbek authorities have long maintained a tightly closed border with Afghanistan, fearing an influx of extremists, and have only accepted a handful of asylum-seekers from its unstable neighbour.
"Uzbekistan indicated that it will not allow illegal crossing of Afghan-Uzbek border," said Tashkent-based political expert Ravshan Ernazarov.
The Taliban's advances in Afghanistan in recent months made several Central Asian nations nervous, prompting authorities in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to ramp up border security.
Afghanistan borders Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and a tiny strip along China's Xinjiang region.
In August, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Russia finished joint military drills in the Tajik region of Khatlon, 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Afghan border.
Last week, the Russian military started another exercise in Tajikistan.
China and Russia held joint military exercises last week in northwest China.
But the calm of the southern Uzbek city of Termez bears few traces of the unfolding crisis across the border.
A few Afghans in traditional two-piece garments walk down the streets but city life continues undisturbed.
Termez, a largely Persian-speaking city, has long been a town of choice for many Afghans moving to Uzbekistan.
Together with the U.N. Development Program, the Uzbek government in 2019 opened the Termez Centre for Education in Afghanistan, a place where Afghan girls facing hurdles in education could continue their studies.
Men from northern Afghanistan have also set up businesses in the city.
For the past three years, Ahmad-Zikriya Khakhany from Mazār-i-Sharīf ran a construction company in Termez and made frequent round trips to Afghanistan.
With the situation getting tense at the border, Khakhany worries not only about his business, but also about the possibility to see his family.
"We always need to go back and forth and I'm slightly worried about it," he told AP.
He added: "I hope that Uzbek authorities and Taliban will reach an understanding and will open borders."
Since the fighting in northern Afghanistan intensified, there are regular reports about Afghan soldiers fleeing across the highly guarded border but they are routinely sent back.
This Friday, Uzbekistan sent 150 Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan.
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He found a job in Termez at a construction site and planned to move his family, but he was one of the lucky few who managed to find refuge in the ex-Soviet republic in recent days - those without visas have not been allowed in.
"I'm afraid of the Taliban," he told The Associated Press on Saturday.
He added: "If we come back, we might be accused of fleeing on purpose, of being an escapee. We can be tortured, beaten. We are at risk. That's why I can't come back until there is a peace and calm with Taliban."
As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in a swift power grab, thousands of Afghans have been looking for ways to escape what they see as a return of a ruthless fundamentalist rule.
But neighbouring Uzbekistan appears wary about a flood of Afghan refugees.
Experts note that Uzbek authorities have long maintained a tightly closed border with Afghanistan, fearing an influx of extremists, and have only accepted a handful of asylum-seekers from its unstable neighbour.
"Uzbekistan indicated that it will not allow illegal crossing of Afghan-Uzbek border," said Tashkent-based political expert Ravshan Ernazarov.
The Taliban's advances in Afghanistan in recent months made several Central Asian nations nervous, prompting authorities in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to ramp up border security.
Afghanistan borders Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and a tiny strip along China's Xinjiang region.
In August, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Russia finished joint military drills in the Tajik region of Khatlon, 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Afghan border.
Last week, the Russian military started another exercise in Tajikistan.
China and Russia held joint military exercises last week in northwest China.
But the calm of the southern Uzbek city of Termez bears few traces of the unfolding crisis across the border.
A few Afghans in traditional two-piece garments walk down the streets but city life continues undisturbed.
Termez, a largely Persian-speaking city, has long been a town of choice for many Afghans moving to Uzbekistan.
Together with the U.N. Development Program, the Uzbek government in 2019 opened the Termez Centre for Education in Afghanistan, a place where Afghan girls facing hurdles in education could continue their studies.
Men from northern Afghanistan have also set up businesses in the city.
For the past three years, Ahmad-Zikriya Khakhany from Mazār-i-Sharīf ran a construction company in Termez and made frequent round trips to Afghanistan.
With the situation getting tense at the border, Khakhany worries not only about his business, but also about the possibility to see his family.
"We always need to go back and forth and I'm slightly worried about it," he told AP.
He added: "I hope that Uzbek authorities and Taliban will reach an understanding and will open borders."
Since the fighting in northern Afghanistan intensified, there are regular reports about Afghan soldiers fleeing across the highly guarded border but they are routinely sent back.
This Friday, Uzbekistan sent 150 Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: Twitter: AP_Archive
Facebook: Facebook: APArchives
Instagram: Instagram: APNews
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
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