KABUL, Afghanistan — At least 2,000 Afghan migrants entered the country from Iran and Pakistan on Saturday, either after being deported or voluntarily returning, according to the Taliban-run Ministry of Refugees.
The ministry reported that 303 migrants deported by Pakistan returned through the Torkham border crossing and 450 others through the Spin Boldak crossing on July 6.
Additionally, 1,176 Afghan migrants entered the country from Iran via the Rah-e-Abrisham border crossing in the west.
Pakistan began deporting undocumented immigrants in October 2023. Since then, it has deported 639,000 Afghan migrants, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In a new phase of deportations initiated this week, Pakistan announced plans to deport over 800,000 undocumented immigrants, mostly Afghans.
Iran claims to host at least three million Afghan immigrants. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans migrated to Iran and Pakistan after the fall of the previous government in August 2021, driven by fear of Taliban threats and in search of jobs and other opportunities.
