As the tension escalates in Syria with increasing number of the refugees and those killed in the violence, the fate of few hundred Afghan refugees trapped in Damascus remain endangered to become victim of the crisis too. Despite their repeated appeals and media reports, the government has yet to take any action to bring them back and avoid the massacre.

Recently the Foreign Ministry acknowledged that there are over 2,000 Afghans trapped in Zainabia area near Damascus caught between the rebels and fighters of Asad regime. However, they have failed to manage any urgent arrangement to evacuate them. They are being targeted by both sides despite their neutrality and several have been killed as they moved from their previous sheltering area after rebels conquered it.

The Afghan refugees include those who escaped the brutality of the Taliban rule and made their way to Syria, while others have gone there recently on pilgrimage purposes.

The international humanitarian organizations should take notice. The emergency fate of Afghan refugees has been covered only by BBC Persian and VOA Dari, while other international media remain unaware of the crisis.

The government has not even bothered to make any efforts to evacuate them. And if an emergency step is not taken, soon they will become victim of the violence as they are trapped without any ways to escape. 

Earlier in a letter to some media outlets written in Dari, the refugees have appealed for emergency help.  In recent emergency appeal to Afghan online media and blogs, some refugees had asked the government and people to raise voice for their lives and help them evacuate.

The government needs to take urgent steps and send planes to bring back the trapped refugees. Foreign Ministry should talk to the Asad regime to help evacuate them. The UNHCR should pay attention to the plight of Afghan refugees as we cannot expect much from the Kabul government as seen so far.