UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Fighting near the Torkham border crossing is threatening the safety of Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan, as well as local residents and humanitarian workers, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Friday.
OCHA said a child from the local community was killed and a humanitarian worker assisting returnees was injured in clashes on Wednesday. Previous escalations have forced the crossing to close temporarily and humanitarian partners to relocate some services.
Torkham is a major crossing point for Afghans returning from Pakistan. More than 600,000 people crossed through the border point in the first nine months of this year, accounting for nearly 85 percent of all recorded returns from Pakistan, according to OCHA.
Despite the tensions, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners remain on the ground, providing assistance at the border and nearby reception and transit centers, the office said.
"OCHA calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian personnel and facilities, and to ensure that families can safely access the help they need," it said.
The UN Refugee Agency reported that as of Nov. 29, 2025, 2.7 million Afghan refugees had returned from Iran and Pakistan. ■
