KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghans living in Iran, Turkey, and Tajikistan continue to face increasing threats of detention and deportation, as well as reports of violence by state authorities, according to a refugee rights organization.
In a report released Wednesday, the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) said that Afghans across multiple neighboring countries—including Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey—have endured worsening conditions and crackdowns over the past quarter, underscoring their growing vulnerability in the region.
“Turkey’s deportation practices, partly funded by the European Union’s externalization policies, have come under scrutiny for allegedly facilitating the forced return of migrants to unsafe environments, including Syria and Afghanistan,” the report said.
The MMC noted that migrants in Turkey are often held in detention centers under harsh conditions before being expelled, frequently without due legal process or consideration of the life-threatening risks they face upon return.
“Critics argue that the EU’s financial support to Turkey is enabling actions that potentially violate international principles of non-refoulement, raising ethical and legal questions about the role of external funding in such practices,” the report stated, referring to the international legal principle that prohibits returning asylum seekers to a country where they face persecution.
The report also cited accounts of escalating violence along the Iran-Afghanistan border. In October, Iranian border guards allegedly opened fire on a group of 300 Afghans attempting to cross into Iran, resulting in up to 260 people killed or wounded.
“Iranian authorities have denied these claims, but the reports highlight the extreme risks faced by Afghans seeking safety in neighboring countries,” the MMC said.
At the same time, Iran has intensified mass deportations, forcibly returning thousands of Afghans to a country still struggling with insecurity and economic instability.
In Tajikistan, the report noted that the Afghan Migration Committee, an intermediary body between Afghan refugees and local authorities, has called on the government to halt deportations of Afghan asylum seekers. However, despite these appeals, detentions and forced returns have continued, raising concerns about Tajikistan’s adherence to international refugee protections.
The report comes as human rights groups continue to warn that regional crackdowns on Afghan refugees are worsening an already dire humanitarian situation, forcing thousands into precarious conditions or returning them to a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan where many fear persecution.
