Nearly 100,000 Afghan refugees return home in one month: Official
Kabul, July 25
A total of 14,539 Afghan refugee families, totalling 97,277 individuals, returned to their homeland, Afghanistan, from the neighbouring countries of Pakistan and Iran over the past month, the deputy spokesman for the Afghan government announced on Saturday.
The returnees entered Afghanistan through the Islam Qala border in western Herat province, the Torkham crossing point in eastern Nangarhar province, Spin Boldak in southern Kandahar province, Pul-e-Abresham in western Nimroz province, and Bahramcha in southern Helmand province, Hamdullah Fitrat posted on his X account.
All returning families have received immediate assistance, including food, drinking water, healthcare services, and free transportation to their destinations, the official added.
The majority of the former refugees have returned from Pakistan, Fitrat asserted.
More than 8 million Afghan refugees, according to Afghan officials, have returned to their country since the current Afghan government took over power in August 2021, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that India has handed over family tents for Afghan returnees as part of its continued humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
"As part of India's continued humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan, India has handed over family tents to the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) to support the shelter and rehabilitation needs of Afghan returnees," the MEA wrote on X.
Afghanistan has been witnessing a large number of returnees, especially from Pakistan, as Islamabad has ramped up measures to repatriate refugees and undocumented migrants.
According to reports, an enforcement drive has begun following the expiry of the July 10 deadline for Afghans without valid visas to leave voluntarily.
Figures obtained from the Hamza Baba transit point in Landi Kotal showed a significant increase in the number of Afghan refugees returning in recent days. According to officials at the transit point, the number of returnees has exceeded 10,000 daily since Pakistan ordered all Afghan nationals in the country to return to Afghanistan, Pakistan's daily Dawn reported.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Pakistan is really pushing these people out, aren't they? Over 10,000 a day is insane. I hope the Afghan government has enough infrastructure to handle this influx. India's tent donation is nice, but we need a long-term plan here.
Good on India for helping out, but let's be real—this is a drop in the ocean. 8 million refugees returned since 2021? That's a massive number. The world needs to do more, not just India. Pakistan's deadline forcing people out is brutal, but they have their own problems too.
As someone who follows global migration, this is a major humanitarian crisis. India's aid is commendable, but I worry about the long-term stability of Afghanistan under the current regime. These returnees need jobs, schools, and healthcare—not just tents.
India's humanitarian gesture is good, but why does the MEA always brag about these small things on X? We've done so much for Afghanistan over the years—roads, dams, schools. Tents are just the tip of the iceberg. Still, every bit helps for these poor families.
It's heartbreaking to see families uprooted again. I hope the international community steps up more. India's role here is crucial, given its historical ties with Afghanistan. But I'm skeptical about how much the Taliban will actually help these returnees.
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