Half a million Afghans may soon flee their country due to the current crisis, fears the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.

A senior official of the organization, Kelly Clements, said there are not many Afghans at the borders at this time. Still, the situation in Afghanistan’s interior is deteriorating faster than expected. As a result, the UN is preparing to host half a million people and is urging neighbouring countries to keep the borders open and provide assistance.

A Pakistani army spokesman, General Babar Iftikhar, said on Friday that the situation on the Afghan border is normal and under control, and no serious incidents have been reported. But the armed forces are prepared for what may yet happen, the general said.

According to eyewitnesses on Twitter, Pakistani soldiers shot at Afghans who wanted to cross the border at the Torkham border crossing, 180 kilometres east of Kabul. There would have been casualties.