KABUL — At least 613 Afghan migrant families returned from Pakistan and Iran between Feb. 21 and Feb. 28, according to data compiled bt Amu from Taliban statements.
During this period, Iran expelled 501 families, while Pakistan deported 112, either forcibly or voluntarily, the reports indicate.
Of those returning from Pakistan, 35 families entered Afghanistan through the Torkham crossing, while 77 crossed via Spin Boldak. The Torkham border has been closed to all movement for the past six days. Meanwhile, 176 families returned via the Silk Bridge border in Nimroz, and 325 families entered through the Islam Qala border in Herat.
The latest wave of deportations follows the expulsion of 758 Afghan refugee families from Iran and Pakistan the previous week. Iran deported 505 families, while Pakistan expelled 253, according to the data.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that Iran hosts at least 3.8 million refugees and refugee-like individuals, including over 1 million Afghans who have arrived since 2021, making it the world’s largest refugee-hosting country. Pakistan is home to approximately 3.2 million Afghan refugees and other Afghan nationals, 76 percent of whom are women and children, according to UNHCR figures.
