RASC News Agency: In a single day, 150 Afghanistani refugee families were expelled from Iran and Pakistan and returned to their home country. The Bakhtar News Agency, operating under the Taliban administration, reported that these refugees were deported “both involuntarily and voluntarily” from Iran and Pakistan on Friday, August 10.
Most Afghanistani refugees face involuntary deportation. They are unwilling to return to Afghanistan under Taliban rule, where poverty and unemployment have reached alarming levels. According to Bakhtar News Agency, these refugees entered Afghanistan through border crossings in Nangarhar, Kandahar, Nimroz, and Herat provinces. The report further indicates that 31 families crossed via the Torkham border, while 14 families entered through Spin Boldak.
Additionally, 48 families returned through the Pul-e-Khism border in Nimroz, and 57 other families crossed back through the Islam Qala border. Previously, the International Organization for Migration reported that nearly 8 million Afghanistani citizens have emigrated since 2020—a claim that the Taliban has denied. This organization also noted that 85% of these migrants have moved to neighboring countries, primarily Iran, with nearly one million relocating to Europe.
The report further highlights that nearly 70% of those migrating to Iran cite the lack of job opportunities as their main reason for departure. Unemployment and poverty have intensified following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, driving citizens to seek work in neighboring countries, only to face expulsion from these nations.
