Afghanistan

Rights group reports detention of Afghan migrants by Iranian authorities

Hundreds of undocumented Afghan and Baloch citizens have been detained in the city of Iranshahr by Iranian police, according to a report by Halwash, a human rights watchdog.

The group revealed that the detained migrants are being transferred to a foreign nationals’ camp, where they await deportation.

The report detailed how military forces patrolled Iranshahr, arresting Afghan citizens and several undocumented Baloch workers before handing them over to the camp. Halwash did not provide specific figures on the number of those detained.

The watchdog noted that, over the past two years, following protests in the Balochistan region, many undocumented Baloch citizens have been arrested and deported under the pretext of expelling “foreign nationals.”

Afghan migrants in Iran, meanwhile, have reported increasing hardships under mounting government pressure. Some told Amu, a local media outlet, that they have been unable to purchase basic necessities such as bread at bakeries amid the crackdown.