Migrant panic as over 1,000 refugees deported in one day in brutal crackdown

Pakistan is continuing its harsh crackdown on Afghan refugees, as tensions between Islamabad and Kabul continue to surge. The latest deportations come just days after new military clashes erupted at the border between the two countries. The Taliban claimed that five people had died after both militaries exchanged heavy fire along their shared frontier.

Pakistan has previously accused Afghanistan’s government of financing and sheltering fighters from the resurgent Pakistan Taliban (TTP). The TTP has carried out lethal attacks on security forces inside Pakistan, including a suicide bombing at a paramilitary headquarters in Peshawar just over a week ago.

The continuing political and military tensions have resulted in a massive clampdown by Islamabad of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan.

The Pakistani government has vowed to deport all three million Afghan refugees currently living on its territory.

In the latest development, 1,198 refugees were returned on Monday to Afghanistan, according to the Taliban.

They returned to Afghanistan via several border crossings, including the one at Spin Boldak, where fighting erupted on Friday night.

Over the weekend, Pakistan expelled another 5,943 refugees, as deportations continue apace.

Residents of Spin Boldak were forced to flee as Pakistani and Taliban forces exchanged fire. The clashes began at around 22:30 (18:00 GMT) on Friday, according to Afghani civilians living near the border.

Footage from the area showed scenes of panic, with large numbers of people fleeing on foot and in vehicles.

Pakistan accused the Taliban of “unprovoked firing”, while an Afghan government spokesperson said Islamabad had “once again initiated attacks”, forcing it to respond.

The two warring sides had agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Qatar less than two months ago.

The ceasefire ended more than a week of fighting in which dozens were killed – the worst clashes between Pakistan and the Taliban since the group returned to power in 2021