RASC News Agency: Close to 4,000 Afghanistani migrants were expelled from Iran and Pakistan in a single day and have returned to their home country. The Taliban-led Ministry of Refugees stated in a press release that 3,775 individuals were forcibly and voluntarily deported from Iran and Pakistan yesterday (Sunday, July 21).
Among the deported migrants were children and women. According to the ministry’s press release, Iran expelled 3,269 individuals, while Pakistan expelled 506 migrants. A significant number of the deportees were forcibly removed, with only a small number choosing to leave the host countries voluntarily.
Poverty, unemployment, and a lack of security have driven Afghanistani citizens to leave their homeland and seek refuge in neighboring countries like Iran and Pakistan, as well as in the West. These individuals aspire to live and work in the countries where they have sought asylum for many years. These migrants are the primary financial supporters for dozens of families in Afghanistan, and for this reason, they are unwilling to return to Afghanistan, where unemployment is at its peak.
Most of these migrants are forcibly expelled by the host countries, and even upon their expulsion, the lives of some of them are put at risk. The Taliban-led Ministry of Refugees reported that the deported migrants enter Afghanistan through various routes. 231 of the newly returned migrants entered through the Torkham crossing, and 275 entered via the Spin Boldak route.
Meanwhile, 1,329 migrants returned through the Islam Qala border in Herat, and 1,940 others entered Afghanistan via the Pul-e-Abrisham border in Nimroz. This comes after Iran and Pakistan expelled over 5,000 Afghanistani migrants, both forcibly and voluntarily, just two days prior.
