Several Hundred Afghan Refugees Found Packed in Truck at Turkey-Iran Border

This week, border authorities in Turkey made a startling discovery when a large truck crossing over from Iran was caught carrying some 300 people. Men, women, and children were found packed in an incredibly tight space.

According to Turkish sources, most of the people were refugees from Afghanistan. 

Afghanistan has seen an exodus in recent months, as the departure of U.S. and NATO forces has led to increased fighting between the Afghan government and the Taliban. 

"It's important that the military sides set the conditions for a peaceful and political settlement in Afghanistan,” General Scott Miller, outgoing U.S. commander in Afghanistan, states.

“We can all see the violence is taking place across the country, but we know that with that violence, what is very difficult to achieve is a political settlement. So, again, what I tell the Taliban is they are responsible too. The violence that is going on is against the will of the Afghan people. It needs to stop."

The migrants found in the truck near the Turkish city of Van were given food, masks, and medical care. And they’re just a small part of a much larger human wave. 

The U.N. Refugee Agency estimates that 270,000 Afghans have fled their homes since the beginning of 2021.

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