АFР photo

Intensive fire exchanges between the army and the Taliban anti-government movement’s fighters near the village of Marchak, Bagdis Province, brought about a big number of refugees in northern Afghanistan.

The Alternative News of Turkmenistan (ANT) cites the Turkmen-language service of the RFE/RL to report that half of Marchak residents fled the village and are moving toward the Turkmen border, while the other half are captured by the Taliban and used as human shield.

“Three days ago armed Taliban [fighters] arrived and have completely captured two villages near Marchak. A fight is underway [to seize control] over the third one. The state forces are putting up resistance, but the Taliban continue advancing. Airborne forces—called in for assistance—dropped bombs on the villages, but the peaceful population suffered more [than Taliban] from these strikes,” Hajji Muhammed Emin, the elder of the Ashaky village, told the RFE/RL’s Turkmen service.

According to Mr Emin, many people were able to break through the battle theatres and flee toward the border with Turkmenistan. Some of the refugees were able to swim across the Murgab River, the natural border between the countries, but the Turkmen border guards prohibited them from stepping foot on the Turkmen territory, explaining their motives as fear of Taliban. The refugees—some 900 families—were forced to take shelter in thickets near the border.

“People are desperate. We have nothing—neither bread nor shelter nor medicines. The Turkmen border guards are not letting us onto their territory. They are afraid to incur the wrath of the Taliban. Therefore, every time we ask the Turkmen side to grant temporary shelter on their territory or to provide food and medicines as humanitarian aid, they say, ‘Sit in those thickets and do not dare to step on our land. We do not want to have problems with the Taliban because of you.’ People are putting their trust in Almighty only,” Mr Emin says.

Speaking on the radio, Mr Emin addressed Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov with a request to show compassion and grant shelter to ethnic Turkmen from Marchak until battles end in Bagdis and peace is re-established in the region, and help the refugees with food.

Background: The Taliban movement announced late April it is resuming annual spring surges, and the number of significant attacks on government forces has increased. The government’s job of resisting the militants is becoming more difficult year on year; battles between the two sides cause civilian casualties. According to the UN, due to an increase in the number of combats between illegal groups and state troops in 2014 coupled with the withdrawal of international troops, the numbers of civilian deaths increased by 22% compared to last year, i.e. 3,699 killed 6,849 wounded among peaceful citizens. A total of 655 citizens were killed and 1,155 wounded during the first three months of this year alone.