Reopen borders to Afghan refugees call

The American organisation, Human Rights Watch, has called on the governments of Pakistan and Tajikistan to reopen their borders to refugees from Afghanistan.

Human Rights Watch said that Afghan refugees faced real threats to their life and liberty if they were turned away.

On Thursday, Pakistan closed its western border with Afghanistan, saying it couldn't absorb the thirty thousand refugees who'd arrived over the past few months.

Human Rights Watch said it had information about a range of abuses against civilians in areas held by the Taleban, including the detention of opposition supporters, the execution of prisoners and forced conscription.

Tajikistan closed its border in September.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service