Despite media reports and urgent appeals for help from the Afghan refugees trapped in the conflict in Syria, the Government in Kabul has not taken official notice. There are over 2000 Afghans trapped in Zainabia area near Damascus caught between the rebels and fighters of Asad regime, targeted by both sides despite their neutrality. They include those who escaped the brutality of the Taliban rule and made their way to Syria, while others have gone there recently on pilgrimage purposes.

The plight of Afghan refugees has been covered only by BBC Persian and VOA Dari, while other international media and local Afghan outlets remain unaware of the crisis. Officials at the Foreign Ministry have confirmed to VOA Dari that Afghan refugees are trapped, but no step has been taken so far to bring them back.

In a letter to some media outlets written in Dari, the refugees have appealed for emergency help. They say, “Now it is about for 6 months we are staying at Hotels and buildings, some Refugees houses has been stolen and some of them burned and destroyed. Till now some Refugees who trying to take some their stuff from their houses they have been captured and some of them have been threatened.”

Some have tried to flee Syria into Turkey, but their fate remains uncertain:

“Some Refugees because of well[-founded] fear and feeling unsafe they have been ready to independently smuggle themselves illegally toward of Turkey till now no one knows what happened to them, they left Syria without of any value document only they had the UNHCR Refugee certificate.”

“It has become unbearable for us to continue living in Syria. And most of the afghan Refugees are illegal in Syria…and in current situation we face serious legal problems and other kinds of problems because of not having legal residency…and with having this problem we are not able to continue living safely at all, especially in the current unrest situation where the security forces has become very strict in looking for the illegal residents and arrest them and then deport them. As still several cases happened.”

The Government needs to take urgent steps and send planes to bring back the trapped refugees. Foreign Ministry should talk to the Asad regime to help evacuate them. The UNHCR should pay attention to the plight of Afghan refugees as we cannot expect much from the relevant authorities in the government as seen so far.