Afghanistan Facing Internal Displacement Crisis as Refugee Exodus Remains Low

GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency warns millions of Afghans displaced by conflict inside their country are teetering on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe and need international aid to survive.

An estimated 3.5 million Afghans have been uprooted by conflict and insecurity, including more than half-a-million newly displaced people this year. Women and children account for most of the internally displaced. The UNHCR has predicted about 500,000 Afghans will likely flee to neighboring countries, attempting to seek asylum. However, U.N. observers at Pakistani and Iranian border points report that a large-scale refugee influx, so far, has not materialized. Speaking via video link from the Pakistan capital, Islamabad, UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch said his agency is trying to analyze why so few people are coming.