Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

Afghan Refugees Pour into Pakistan

Aired October 21, 2001 - 15:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In the wake of the coalition bombing campaign against Afghanistan, thousands of Afghan refugees have fled their country and poured into neighboring Pakistan.

CNN's John Vause has more on that issue, and other developments, from the capital, Islamabad -- John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Donna.

Well, the situation in Kandahar and Kabul, we're being told as of a short time ago, all quiet. It's been quiet there since about 8:00 this morning as far as the U.S. airstrikes are concerned.

That certainly hasn't stopped the protesters here in Pakistan from taking to the streets, in the city of Rawalpindi, just outside of Islamabad, about a 30 minute drive away from here. Thousands of protesters filled the streets. There was the usual burning of effigies -- burning of the effigies of President Bush, as well as the usual anti-U.S. slogans.

This is, indeed, one of the largest protests we've seen in recent days. There was, in fact, a fairly large protest in Karachi, the port city, the largest city here in Pakistan. About 10 million people live in that city, and in Karachi, a few thousand took to the streets.

Now, they're being angered by some vision, which is coming out of Afghanistan of pictures which we're receiving from the Al-Jazeera television network. What we're seeing on that video are local residents in Afghanistan, particularly Kabul, going through rubble. Obviously, this is what they're saying is the end result of those U.S. airstrikes on residential areas. We're seeing Afghan residents -- city residents picking through that rubble, trying to find anything which has been left behind after they have been hit.

Our sources on the ground, an independent source, a city resident -- not a Taliban member, but a city resident says 13 people were killed in Kabul. Obviously, that's as good as we can get, because of the closed-off situation in that city.

There have also been pictures of injured children taken to hospitals. The Taliban and the Al-Jazeera reports that these children were wounded during the airstrikes, however, the Pentagon has raised the possibility that they may have, in fact, been injured by anti- aircraft fire, which is being fired off by the Taliban during these raids.

All up now, the Taliban are putting forward the claim 1,000 people have been killed -- 1,000 civilians have been killed since these airstrikes began. That figure, of course, disputed by the Pentagon and by the White House administration. Once again, there's no way to verify that 1,000 number. That number has been changing quite often. It started out at 400, then it went to 900, it went back down to 500. Now, the Taliban and a deputy ambassador here in Islamabad says it's up to 1,000.

The other situation here in Pakistan at the border, thousands of refugees, as you say, heading to Pakistan to the relative safety of the border town. In Chaman alone, it's something like 15,000 people waiting outside the border. Pakistan, today, closed off the Frontier, not allowing anybody to cross.

Over the last couple of days, they have, indeed, been allowing thousands to come across the border either because they had the proper documentation, they had the visas or the proper identification cards, although allowed across at the discretion of the Pakistani border guards. There have been reports that many had to bribe their way to get into Pakistan, into one of those refugee camps.

There are also reports today in Chaman that some Afghan refugees are throwing rocks at the border guards who return with fire. They fired into the air to try and calm the situation. Reports a 13-year- old boy was wounded, not seriously, but as I said, not a serious injury there.

As far as the refugee crisis goes, the U.N. services is obviously one of the aftermaths of these U.S.-led air attacks. They are calling for some kind of cease-fire, so they can get aid back into Afghanistan to try and help the people who are still there -- Donna.

KELLEY: All right, John -- John Vause in Islamabad. Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com