Afghanistan: Over 1900 Afghan migrants return from Iran

KABUL: The Taliban-led Ministry of Migrants’ Affairs of Afghanistan said that approximately 2,000 Afghan migrants have returned from Iran voluntarily or forcibly compulsively amid the ongoing migration process, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported.

According to Taliban-led ministry on Wednesday said that 1,957 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan from Iran through the Islam Qala border crossing.

The Taliban-led Ministry of Migrants’ Affairs, citing the head of the Herat border authority, has said that 24 families, comprising 91 people, were forcibly repatriated, according to Khaama Press report.

In addition, 23 families, comprising 87 people, returned to Afghanistan voluntarily. Moreover, 734 people were repatriated involuntarily, while another 1,045 people opted to return to Afghanistan voluntarily.

According to the Taliban-led ministry, 341 people among these returning migrants have been identified as needing assistance. It further said that these people have been referred to the International Organization for Migrants (IOM) for support.

Taliban-led Ministry of Migrants’ Affairs has revealed that 2,000 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan amid a recent rise in the deportation of Afghan citizens from Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, Khaama Press reported.

On Wednesday, more than 3000 Afghan migrants arrived in Afghanistan, with both forced and voluntary returns from Pakistan and Iran. The repatriation of Afghan migrants demonstrates the migration dynamics in the region.

The return of more than 3000 Afghan migrants from Pakistan and Iran on Wednesday highlighted the ongoing challenges during a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.

Earlier this month, a significant number of Afghan migrants who recently returned from Iran complained of mistreatment by the Iranian security forces, according to TOLO News reported.

In addition to physical abuse, these refugees report enduring severe psychological harm due to verbal mistreatment by the Iranian military. Local officials in Nimroz province confirmed the distressing situation and disclosed troubling statistics. In the past two months, out of the 120,000 Afghan refugees who returned from Iran, an alarming 90 per cent of them were reportedly forcibly deported, according to TOLO News report.

Abdullah Ryaz, the provincial head of Refugee and Repatriations in Nimroz, stated, “In the last two months, nearly 120,000 refugees returned from Iran and other countries to Afghanistan, and 90 per cent of them were forcibly deported.”

Waisuddin, one of the refugees from Iran, said, “We wanted to go to work when they deported us, but they sent us back to the camp, where there was no food, no water, and we faced curses and physical abuse from the authorities.”Zekrullah, another returnee, revealed, “Those whose passports had expired also faced deportation.”