a028  0159  07 Jan 86
PM-BRF--Afghan Refugees,0147
Flow of Afghan Refugees Increasing
    ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - About 8,000 Afghan refugees, about four
times as many as a year ago, are crossing into Pakistan every month
because of heavy fighting in the civil war, a senior Pakistani
official said.
    Said Azhar, chief commissioner for Afghan refugees, said Monday that
the flow of refugees had increased after several major Soviet and
Afghan government military offensives in southern and eastern
Afghanistan.
    Azhar said the average monthly arrivals had increased to 8,000 from
early 1985, when there were between 2,000 and 3,000 refugees a month.
    The United Nations estimates about 3 million Afghan refugees are in
Pakistan and another 1.5 million are in Iran. About a third of the
population has fled the country since fighting began in December
1979.
    Moslem guerrillas are fighting the communist government of
Afghanistan, which is supported by an estimated 115,000 Soviet
troops.
    
AP-NY-01-07-86 0451EST
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