The Uzbek Foreign Ministry denied information about Uzbekistan being willing to open its borders to people fleeing from Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
Reuters said quoting the German Foreign Minister that Germany Germany has identified tens of thousands more people who need to be evacuated from Afghanistan, including German citizens, local Afghan staff and at-risk groups such as human rights activists and journalists.
“For security reasons, the Uzbek-Afghan border is nowcompletely closed and there is no ground crossing through the Termez checkpoint. In the near future, there are no plans to open the Termez checkpoint, ”the Uzbek Foreign Ministry added.
The Foreign Ministry recalled that "any attempts to cross the border, regardless of their reasons, will be suppressed in accordance with the legislation of Uzbekistan."
Over the past 12 days, Uzbekistan has provided assistance to a number of states in the implementation of humanitarian operations to evacuate its citizens from Afghanistan, who arrived in Uzbekistan and left Uzbekistan exclusively by air. The Foreign Ministry reiterate that Uzbekistan does not accept Afghan refugees on its territory, but provides assistance in transit, implying only short term stay in Uzbekistan.
“We emphasize again that the Uzbek authorities are firmly committed to maintaining traditionally friendly and good-neighborly relations with Afghanistan and the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of the neighboring country,” the statement underscored.
