Deportation of more than 24,000 Afghan immigrants in ten days

Amidst the encroaching winter, Iran and Pakistan have significantly escalated the deportation of Afghan immigrants. Over 24,000 individuals were forcibly returned to Afghanistan by Iranian authorities within the last ten days, highlighting a distressing trend as winter's harshness looms. Simultaneously, Pakistan continues its deportation and repatriation process of Afghan immigrants without documentation, exacerbating the existing challenges of poverty and unemployment in Afghanistan.

The Islamic Republic of Iran's official news agency, IRNA, reported the deportation figures disclosed by Majid Shuja, the border guard commander of Khorasan Razavi Province. Nearly 24,884 Afghan nationals lacking residency documents were identified and expelled from the Dogharon border within the mentioned ten-day period. This follows a broader trend, where a staggering 328,000 Afghan migrants lacking residency documents were repatriated to Afghanistan in the first six months of the current solar year, highlighting an ongoing pattern of deportations.

The resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan triggered a substantial wave of immigration to neighboring nations like Iran and Pakistan. Fears surrounding the Taliban regime, coupled with economic strife, propelled tens of thousands to flee. However, even after over two years of Taliban rule, the deportation of Afghan immigrants from both Iran and Pakistan has resurged, intensifying the migration crisis.

Pakistan initiated the deportation of undocumented Afghan migrants starting November 1, despite international pleas from organizations like the United Nations. Reports indicate that over 350,000 individuals have been repatriated to Afghanistan. The estimated 1.7 million undocumented Afghan migrants living in Pakistan have faced increasing pressure amid the deportation drive.

While Iran has not formally outlined a deportation strategy, daily expulsions persist. The Taliban's Ministry of Refugees and Returnees refrained from commenting on the number of refugees expelled from Iran but acknowledged the return or expulsion of immigrants from Iran on specific dates. The continuous deportation of Afghan immigrants from both Iran and Pakistan raises concerns about humanitarian crises, refugee rights, and the escalating challenges stemming from Afghanistan's ongoing unrest, impacting international relations and migration policies.

_{Source: DW, BBC}