Where are Afghan evacuees going?

Nearly 4,000 Afghan evacuees were resettled in U.S. communities during the past week alone. More than 55,000 Afghans, half of them children, remain at eight U.S. military sites in Indiana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Where are refugees fleeing from?

In 2019, more than two-thirds of all refugees came from just five countries: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Myanmar. Syria has been the main country of origin for refugees since 2014 and at the end of 2019, there were 6.6 million Syrian refugees hosted by 126 countries worldwide.

Is an Afghan a blanket?

An afghan is a blanket or shawl, usually knitted or crocheted. It is sometimes also called a “throw” of indeterminate size. Afghans are often used as bedspreads, or as a decoration on the back of couches or chairs.

What does Taliban mean?

The word Taliban means ‘students’ or ‘seekers’ in Pashto, one of the two official languages of Afghanistan.

What are ANA soldiers?

The Afghan National Army was the land warfare branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The majority of training of the ANA was undertaken in the Kabul Military Training Centre. In 2019, the ANA had approximately 180,000 soldiers out of an authorized strength of 195,000.

Why are Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban fleeing to Pakistan?

I t is a treacherous journey of thousands of miles that crosses arid deserts, steep mountains, rivers, armed checkpoints, barbed wire and metres-high concrete walls. But for the Afghans fleeing the Taliban, this inhospitable route – traversing Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and into the Balkans – is the pathway, they believe, to freedom.

Can Pakistan and Iran cope with Afghan refugees?

Both Pakistan and Iran have said that they cannot cope with a further influx of Afghan refugees. Officials in both countries have said that any refugees that do arrive will have to stay in camps near the border until they can return to Afghanistan.

What happens to Afghans who cross the Iran-Afghan border?

Any Afghans who crossed into Iran would, “once conditions improve, be repatriated”, Hossein Ghassemi, interior ministry border affairs chief, told the IRNA news agency. Iran shares a 900-kilometre (560-mile) border with Afghanistan, and already hosts nearly 3.5 million Afghans, according to the UN’s refugee agency.

Where do Afghan refugees go on their journeys?

Most migrant journeys start in Afghanistan’s Nimruz province. The mountainous route through Pakistan into Iran is also used for drug smuggling and known as the ‘golden crescent’ Yet the message from all of Afghanistan’s neighbours and much of Europe, where most hope to reach, has been that Afghan refugees are not welcome.