KABUL, Afghanistan — Tajikistan forcibly deported more than 40 Afghan migrants from the city of Vahdat on April 21, returning them to Afghanistan via the Sher Khan Bandar border crossing, according to a report by the Uzbek media outlet, Daryo.
The migrants, many of whom were registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and held official refugee documents, included taxi drivers and small business owners, the report said. This marks the third known incident of forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Tajikistan in recent months.
One deported individual, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, described the process: “Security forces summoned several taxi drivers to the Vahdat security headquarters. They confiscated our UN refugee cards and identity documents, then loaded us into two large vans and transported us to the Sher Khan border, handing us over to Afghan authorities.”
In addition to those detained at their places of work, several Afghan migrants were reportedly arrested while shopping or seeking medical care at the Gulestan market, the report said.
At the time of publication, neither the UNHCR nor other international organizations had issued a formal response to the deportations.
All of the deported individuals had sought refuge in Tajikistan following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, raising concerns over their safety and potential risk of persecution upon return.
The move is part of a broader regional trend of forced returns of Afghan nationals. Similar deportations have taken place in neighboring Pakistan, where Afghan migrants have been detained at workplaces and deported through the Torkham border crossing, often without prior notification to their families.
Rights groups and refugee advocates have condemned such deportations, warning they may violate international legal protections for asylum seekers and refugees.
