UNHCR to help Afghans wishing to leave South Waziristan

Afghan refugees in South Waziristan, the tribal area which is the scene of a full-scale offensive by the Pakistani army as it attempts to weed out Islamic militants from near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, are being offered assistance and the choice to repatriate to their country, according to a UNHCR official. Afghan refugees living in refugee camps in South Waziristan were given a 72-hour deadline by the Pakistani government as the battle between government forces and seemingly well-entrenched militants escalated in the area's remote regions over the past five days. According to an army spokesman, nearly 55 militants, along with 17 security personnel, have been killed as the Pakistani military called for air support, provided immediately by fighter aircraft that bombed militant hideouts. Up to 600 foreign militants, with links to the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, are believed to be hiding in the semi-autonomous tribal areas with support from local residents. "We understand that the government has asked refugees to leave South Waziristan," Jack Redden, the UNHCR spokesman, told IRIN in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. He added that, for the most part, the refugees had been living in old camps for a number of years. "We are in talks with the government about the situation and we are providing repatriation services for any refugees who do want to go back to Afghanistan," Redden explained. The UNHCR spokesman said he couldn't put an exact figure on the number of refugees living in South Waziristan, but added that it was thought to be about 30,000. "We are offering assistance to those who would like to repatriate to Afghanistan and, considering the current conditions in South Waziristan, that may well be a choice that many of them would like to make at this time," he said.