GENEVA: Afghan nationals have not been fleeing in large numbers across the borders to Pakistan and Iran in the wake of the Taliban takeover on Aug 15, but some have crossed over indicating they intend to claim asylum, the UN refugee agency said on Friday.

Babar Baloch, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), speaking from Islamabad, said that the numbers of people leaving Afghanistan “remain small”, but gave no figures.

“So far what we have not seen is a large refugee influx,” Baloch told a Geneva news briefing.

Up to 500,000 Afghans could flee their homeland by year-end, the UNHCR had said last week.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2021