KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban-led Ministry of Refugees announced on Saturday that 25 Afghan inmates held in Iraq have been released and returned to Afghanistan.
According to the ministry, the prisoners arrived on Friday, traveling through Iran along the historic Silk Road.
The statement noted that the individuals had been detained in various Iraqi provinces for six months due to a lack of “legal documents.” During a press conference in Kabul last month, officials from the Taliban’s Prison Administration reported that approximately 8,000 Afghan nationals are imprisoned in around 12 countries worldwide, with the majority held in Iran.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, hundreds of thousands have sought to flee the country, driven by security concerns and worsening economic conditions. Many Afghans travel to Iraq for religious pilgrimages to the shrine in Karbala, a journey often undertaken without proper documentation.
