At least 674 Afghan migrant families returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran over the past week, according to data released by a Taliban-run news agency.
The findings, reviewed by Amu, indicate that the families returned between December 2 and December 6, either voluntarily or under duress. The news agency did not provide figures for the final two days of the week.
Of the total, 485 families reportedly returned from Iran, while 189 families came from Pakistan. The data shows varied entry points along the Afghan border. From Pakistan, 94 families crossed into Afghanistan through the Torkham crossing, and 95 families used the Spin Boldak route. From Iran, 113 families entered via the Pul-e-Abrisham border crossing in Nimroz province, while 372 families returned through the Islam Qala crossing in Herat.
This marked a slight decrease from the previous week, when 989 Afghan migrant families reportedly returned to Afghanistan. The continued returns highlight the challenges facing Afghan migrants in neighboring countries, where complaints of mistreatment by host governments have been mounting.
In Pakistan, authorities recently arrested 800 Afghan nationals, accusing them of participating in protests organized by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, according to the Taliban. Meanwhile, in Iran, an official stated that Afghan students would no longer be accommodated in Iranian schools due to capacity constraints.
The forced and voluntary returns come amid ongoing economic instability in Afghanistan, further exacerbating the plight of those seeking refuge abroad.
