Over 3,000 undocumented Afghans returning daily to Afghanistan from Iran: IOM report

The United Nation's International Organization for Migration (IOM) has voiced concern over the difficulties being faced by the undocumented Afghan returnees. As per the Tolo News, approximately 3,000 undocumented Afghans have been returning to the war-torn nation every day from the neighbouring country Iran, with many of the returnees being forcibly deported.  

The IOM in a report revealed that more than one million Afghan citizens have been deported or forced to return to Afghanistan in 2021, with more than thousands fleeing the country in quest of a better quality of life. IOM Afghanistan has also created a program to assist undocumented returnees in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported. 

IOM's Protection teams are providing emergency response to undocumented returnees

According to the report, “IOM's Protection teams are providing emergency response to undocumented returnees, IOM is supporting them to access crucial protection services.” The organisation noted that Afghanistan is undergoing a complicated humanitarian crisis, with increased unemployment, food scarcity, as well as lack of security and stability. 

In addition to this, Bilal Karimi, the interim Afghan government's deputy spokesperson, stated that the Taliban administration in Afghanistan will work to provide job possibilities for Afghan youngsters in order to keep them from illegally migrating. “Afghanistan made serious efforts to prevent our compatriots and youth from illegally going to neighbouring countries to stay in their own country and use their energy for serving the people here," Tolo News quoted Karimi as saying.  

Afghanistan crisis led desperate Afghans to flee into Iran

The nation's financial meltdown has escalated since the Taliban seized command in mid-August, leading millions of people without jobs and making them unable to feed their families. The suspension of international help, restricting Afghan government assets, and worldwide penalties against the Taliban have driven the already destitute country into a full-fledged financial collapse. Since then, desperate Afghans have been pouring across the boundary into Iran in ever-increasing numbers. 

In December 2021, the Norwegian Refugee Council stated that around 300,000 migrants have entered Iran illegally over the past three months. Iran had already accommodated almost 3 million Afghans who had fled their nation due to decades of conflict. According to the IOM, Iran had deported over 1.1 million Afghan citizens as of November 21, a figure which is 30% over the number for all of 2020. 

(Image: AP)