Iran Continues to Deport Undocumented Afghan Refugees

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Nearly 130,000 undocumented Afghan refugees have been forced by the Iranian government to go home this year, heading to an uncertain future with the resurgent Taliban now holding more than 40 percent rural territory in Afghanistan.

Hundreds more are ousted each day from Iran, in line with Iran’s target of sending 600,000 back to Afghanistan by the end of the year.

“Last week, 7,695 Afghan refugees returned from Iran, 60-65 percent of whom were deported involuntarily,” said Hafiz Ahmad Miakhel, spokesman for the Afghanistan Ministry of Refugees and Returnees. “The majority of them were young individuals, but some were families, including women and children.”

Kabul says the unprecedented influx of returnees has strained post-arrival services by the government and refugee agencies, especially with Pakistan also sending Afghan refugees home.

The swelling numbers of deportees from Iran and high unemployment in Afghanistan lead to concerns that some of young returnees may join the Taliban or other militant groups. The large influx may also fuel a rising crime rate in a country already shaky from terror attacks and a high death rate among the security forces.

More than two million Afghans live in Iran, according to Afghan government estimates. Most settled there after fleeing war and conflict in their homeland. About 950,000 are classified as refugees.