More than 50,600 Afghan citizens left Afghanistan for neighboring Iran and Pakistan over the past week, according to a report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
During the same period, 71,524 people returned to Afghanistan, marking a 41 percent higher inflow than outflow.
The report detailed that 21,169 individuals departed for Iran via the Islam Qala, Milak, and Abu Nasr Farahi border crossings, while 29,470 left for Pakistan through crossings such as Torkham, Spin Boldak, and Ghulam Khan.
On the return side, 43,376 people entered Afghanistan from Iran, and 28,148 returned from Pakistan, through the same major border crossings.
The IOM found that 69 percent of those leaving for Iran cited economic reasons as the primary motivation. Among those returning from Iran, 57 percent were deported, while 86 percent of those returning from Pakistan did so voluntarily, often citing family visits or feeling unsafe in Pakistan.
According to the report, 91 percent of the inflow occurred through four main border crossings, with only nine percent using smaller points of entry.
