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Afghan refugees break hunger strike in Boden

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Afghan refugees break hunger strike in Boden

Thirteen Afghan refugees who have been on a hunger strike outside Migration Board (Migrationsverket) offices in Boden in northern Sweden have broken off their action after three weeks of refusing to eat.

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"Two quit yesterday, one in the morning, and the rest during the evening. We've had talks during the entire afternoon together with police," the agency's Mikael Ribbenvik told the TT news agency on Sunday.

The Migration Board took the hunger strikers to hospital so they could get help starting to eat again.

"When you've managed for so long there is a certain procedure required before you can start to eat again. You need checkups and support," said Ribbenvik.

The move comes following efforts begun by police negotiators on Saturday to launch a dialogue with the hunger strikers in Boden. However, Ribbenvik said they Afghan refugees likely abandoned their protest due to a combination of efforts.

The refugees in Boden have been on hunger strike since mid-April, as have a group located Holmsund, just outside of Umeå.

The Holmsund asylum seekers are continuing their hunger strike, as are a group located in Gävle in eastern Sweden who began their protest a little over a week ago.

Most of the hunger-strikers are originally from Afghanistan and many have been taken to hospital for treatment in the course of the hunger strike.

All of those involved are seeking residency in Sweden, several have been rejected while others are waiting for rulings or plan to seek asylum elsewhere in the EU.

TT/The Local/dl

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