Afghan Kyrgyz Migration

On the edge of Central and South Asia, surrounded by Chinese, Pakistani and Tajik international borders, formed by two plateaux above 4’200masl and marked by even higher mountain ridges alongside, the Afghan Pamirs conjure up the impression of an extraordinarily remote borderland. Perhaps a lasting outcome of their colonial delineation, the place continues to be regarded in terms of closure despite an important history of exchanges and concomitant military and humanitarian interventions – including a major 1978 outmigration. Still, ongoing war and conflicts, conservation, development and humanitarian interventions, extended security systems and spectacular infrastructural projects continue to mark the Afghan Pamirs’ landscape and affect every interaction.