Kabul: More than 10,000 Afghan refugees have been forcibly deported from Iran and Pakistan in the last two days, an Afghan official said. Sharing a report from the High Commission for Addressing Migrants’ Issues on X, Deputy spokesperson for the Afghan government, Hamdullah Fitrat, stated 1,939 families, comprising 10,043 individuals, returned to Afghanistan last week.
According to the report, the refugees returned to Afghanistan through major border crossings, including Islam Qala in Herat, Pul-i-Abresham in Nimroz, Spin Boldak in Kandahar, Bahramcha in Helmand, and Torkham in Nangarhar.
Fitrat said that 1,464 refugee families comprising 8,140 individuals were relocated to their respective regions, while 1,279 families were provided humanitarian assistance, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.
Several human rights groups have urged Pakistan to ensure that any returns are voluntary and in accordance with international obligations. They warned that mass expulsions cause instability along the Afghanistan border, where newly returned families often lack housing, employment and basic services.
