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The UN refugee agency is gearing up for as many as half a million people or more to flee from Afghanistan in a “worst-case scenario” in the coming months, AP reports.
UNHCR says the situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover last week “remains uncertain and may evolve rapidly,” with up to 515,000 new refugees fleeing.
The agency said that would add to the 2.2 million Afghans who already are registered as refugees abroad - nearly all of them in Pakistan and Iran.
“The upsurge of violence across the country and the fall of the elected government may have a serious impact on civilians and cause further displacement,” the plan said.
The agency cited estimates that 558,000 people have been internally displaced within Afghanistan due to armed conflict this year alone – four in five of them women and children. “UNHCR estimates that the number of displaced will rise, both internally and across border,” it said.
Najeeba Wazedafost, CEO of the Asia Pacific Refugee Network, in an online UNHCR news conference on Friday, warned of “coming darkness” in Afghanistan amid a “tragically intertwined series of crises.”
The UN agency is seeking nearly $300 million for its response plan for inter-agency requirements.
Russia’s intelligence services are actively supporting the smuggling networks that drive illegal migration into Europe
A major new WHO/Europe survey has revealed alarming rates of mental health problems among doctors and nurses across the continent
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared that the country is ready to shoot down Russian drones if they enter Hungarian airspace
Ukraine has announced plans to export surplus weapons to multiple regions, including the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that Europe finds itself in a precarious position with Russia
Right now, Europe faces an unprecedented security challenge as Russian drone incursions into NATO and EU airspace have become increasingly frequent and brazen
The company responsible for separate waste collection in Sofia, Ecobulpak AD, has informed the Sofia Municipality that it intends to stop collecting recyclable materials from colored containers in 18 districts of the city
Former finance minister and co-leader of "We Continue the Change" Asen Vassilev sharply criticized the draft 2026 state budget, describing it as an unprecedented act of financial pressure on citizens and businesses
GERB leader Boyko Borissov declared that he “never lies” and stood by his earlier remarks about discussing the lifting of the Magnitsky sanctions with certain individuals
Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chair of "Yes, Bulgaria", revealed that heads of several state institutions awarded themselves and their colleagues massive bonuses last year
GERB leader Boyko Borissov ruled out any possibility of adjustments to the parameters of the draft budget for 2026, despite criticism from within the coalition and opposition parties
GERB leader Boyko Borissov firmly stated in parliament that the 2026 state budget will neither be amended nor withdrawn, despite growing criticism from opposition parties and economists
Bulgaria's Strategic Role in the EU's Drone Wall Defense Initiative
When Politics Means Violence
