KATHMANDU: The Department of Immigration has begun investigation against 11 Afghan nationals, who entered Nepal illegally.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of Nepal Police arrested them from a hotel in Sinamangala on Monday and handed them over to the Immigration Department.

Director of the Immigration Department, Jhank Nath Dhakal, said action against the arrested Afghans would be taken as per the Immigration Act. “They have entered Nepal by evading border checkpoints,” he added. However, when they entered Nepal has not yet been known.

Women and children are also among the Afghanis arrested.

The trend of Afghan nationals escaping to other countries is on the rise ever since the Taliban took control of the war-torn country.

Foreign nationals such as Rohingyas and Afghans, among others, have been entering Nepal illegally through India due to loopholes in border security along the open border.