International Organization for Migration: Millions of Afghans are in a State of Displacement

The International Organization for Migration announced on the occasion of World Migration Day that millions of people in Afghanistan have been affected by violence, economic instability, and the negative impacts of decades of war, and are in conditions of displacement or forced migration. Iran is among the countries that will be a destination for Afghan refugees. This organization stated on Wednesday, December 18, that these Afghan citizens are trying to migrate from Afghanistan due to improved economic conditions, better opportunities, and hope for a better life. Every year on December 18, World Migration Day is celebrated worldwide. Afghanistan is one of the few countries where about 8 million of its citizens live abroad, especially in neighboring countries. Additionally, about 6 million people have been displaced from their original homes due to wars and natural disasters and are now residing in other areas within Afghanistan. The International Organization for Migration has stated that after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the citizens of this country have faced many challenges, including political and economic instability, and women and girls are facing extensive restrictions. The report mentions that successive crises, including drought, have forced the people of Afghanistan to migrate. The United Nations, citing a recent World Bank report on Afghanistan, has announced that currently, half of the population of this country lives in poverty, women face many difficulties, and millions of families depend on humanitarian aid for survival. The International Organization for Migration stated: 'Despite these threats, Afghans have shown remarkable resilience in their migrations over the years, and millions continue to migrate.' This organization has reported that the majority of Afghans traveling to Iran and Pakistan are migrating to access economic opportunities, security, better healthcare services, and to reunite with their relatives. The United Nations has stated that according to statistics from September of this year, about 3.75 million Afghans live in Iran and another 2.05 million in Pakistan. However, Iranian officials claim that the number of Afghans in Iran reaches about 6 million. The report states: 'This year, the response teams of the International Organization for Migration have registered 1.2 million Afghan migrants who lacked legal documents and were returned to their country at four border points with Iran and Pakistan. Additionally, 100,000 others have been registered at Kabul Airport who have returned to their country during this period.' According to United Nations information, about 80,500 Afghan migrants who have returned from Pakistan have stated that they were forced to return due to the host government's strict policies. These individuals have reported facing many difficulties due to lack of residency documents and have not had a stable income for their livelihoods in recent months. This organization has announced that more than 1.1 million undocumented Afghan migrants have returned to their country, of which 66 percent were from Iran. The United Nations has expressed concern that many of these migrants have returned to their homes under conditions where unemployment and economic problems in Afghanistan have reached their peak. In recent weeks, the police of the Islamic Republic of Iran have increased the forced expulsion of Afghan migrants, returning thousands daily after detention to Afghanistan. Some Afghan migrants in Iran have recently stated that the police detain hundreds of people daily from various areas and expel them after a period of detention. According to them, the Islamic Republic police even raid the residences of Afghan migrants at night and harass them. Simultaneously, the International Organization for Migration reported that during the first week of this month, the number of people returning to Afghanistan has exceeded those attempting to leave the country. This UN agency added that the Iranian government has intensified the forced expulsion of Afghan migrants, resulting in hundreds crossing the borders into Afghanistan daily. According to this organization, its monitoring teams are currently present at 10 border points between Afghanistan and Iran and Pakistan, especially at the Islam Qala, Abunasar Farahi, Malek, Spin Boldak, Angor Ada, Ghulam Khan, Dand Patan, and Torkham borders, monitoring the flow of migrants.