KABUL (TOLOnews): The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said that in the past nine months, more than one million Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan, either forcibly or voluntarily, from neighboring countries.
Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, the spokesperson for the ministry, stated that of this number, over 90,000 people returned from neighbor country, around 17,000 from Turkey, and the rest from Iran.
“In the past nine months, from the beginning of Hamal to the end of Qaws, over one million Afghans have returned to the country from neighboring countries, either forcibly or voluntarily. Of this number, nearly 93,000 came from neighbor country, around 17,000 from Turkey, and the remainder from Iran.”One of the families recently returning from Iran to Kabul shared their struggles of life in migration.
“For three years, I lived in Iran with my family as a migrant. Last Tuesday, we were arrested and taken to a camp. After that, I contacted my family. Since we had no guardian, I had to bring my family back with me,” said Visal, a migrant who returned from Iran.
Some migrants who have returned from neighbor country are also seeking government support to provide them with jobs and basic amenities.
“The government of neighbor country created many problems for us. They did not allow us to work in the markets. Now we are very happy to have returned to our homeland,” Parwiz, a migrant who returned from neighbor country.
“Life there was very difficult, and it was impossible to continue. Now that we are in Afghanistan, we have no job or livelihood. We ask the government to provide us with work and facilities,” said Hussain, another returnee from neighbor country.
“Young people returning from abroad to Afghanistan should be provided with employment opportunities in the country,” said Ehsanullah Ahmadzai, a migrant rights activist.
Previously, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that in 2024, more than 1.2 million Afghan migrants had returned to Afghanistan from neighbor countries.
