Islamabad, Jul 30 (AP) The Taliban expressed disapproval on Wednesday towards neighboring nations amid the ongoing mass expulsion of Afghans, as Iran and Pakistan proceed with the removal of foreigners they claim are residing illegally. Both countries have issued deadlines and threatened arrests or deportations for noncompliance, denying any specific targeting of Afghans, who constitute a substantial population in these regions.
Abdul Rahman Rashid, deputy minister for refugees and repatriation in the Taliban government, expressed discontent with the host countries' actions, criticizing the expulsions as a “serious violation of international norms, humanitarian principles, and Islamic values.” “The manner and scale of the forced return of Afghan refugees is unprecedented in Afghanistan’s history," Rashid stated at a press briefing in Kabul.
In the past three months alone, Iran has forcibly repatriated nearly 1.8 million Afghans. Paksitan has sent back an additional 184,459 individuals, while Turkiye has deported more than 5,000 since the year began. Furthermore, nearly 10,000 Afghan prisoners have been repatriated, primarily from Pakistan.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation reported that approximately 6 million Afghan refugees continue to reside abroad. Natural disasters have further exacerbated Afghanistan's refugee situation, with the ministry's director for policy and planning, Mahmood al Haq Ahadi, noting that approximately 13,500 families are now internally displaced due to recent droughts, floods, and storms.
“The cumulative impact of these displacements has driven the total number of internally displaced families in Afghanistan to nearly 2.5 million," Ahadi stated. The ministry plans to dispatch delegations to consult with host nations, aiming to address the challenges facing Afghan asylum seekers and explore legal support mechanisms.
“Our objective is to identify sustainable solutions through dialogue and collaboration,” Ahadi expressed. Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies have raised concerns that the rapid influx of returning Afghans is straining already vulnerable support systems. (AP)
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