Islamabad - About 23,000 Afghans have fled to Pakistan in past weeks as fighting rages in northeastern provinces between the ruling Taliban militia and opposition forces, the UN said yesterday.
"The refugees, who are overwhelmingly women and children of Tajik ethnic [descent] from northeastern Afghanistan are in urgent need of shelter, food and medical assistance," a UN High Commissioner for Refugees statement said. It said 2,600 Afghans had crossed through Pakistan's Torkham border post this week.