At least 1.2 million Afghans have left Iran for Afghanistan since the beginning of the year due to pressure from Iranian authorities, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
Babar Baloch, Spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, in Geneva said on Tuesday that “out of the figure, half of them were forcibly deported.”
He said the exodus increased drastically in recent weeks, noting that “since the beginning of June, no fewer than 600,000 people have arrived in Afghanistan from Iran.”
During the brief war between Israel and Iran last month, Iranian security authorities intensified their repression of Afghans, where hundreds were arrested on charges of espionage or sabotage, state media reported.
After the war, Iran also announced that it would expel all foreigners without valid residence permits.
Even before the military escalation with Israel, there were heated debates in the country about the high number of refugees from neighbouring Afghanistan.
These people had left their homeland in droves after the Taliban retook power four years ago.
Many of them worked in the low-wage sector in the major cities.
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Humanitarian crisis: Iran is the world’s most important host country for Afghan refugees, according to the UNHCR, which reported in April that there were about 3.5 million Afghans in Iran.
Many of the current arrivals may have roots in Afghanistan, but have never been there, Baloch from the UNHCR said.
The representative of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IFRC) in Afghanistan, Sami Fakhouri, said that many of the arrivals had no little idea of where they should go to live.
They were also worried about their children, particularly about the safety and education of girls, he said.
Aid organisations are warning of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
The country is overwhelmed trying to deal with those arriving, the organisation World Vision said.
The economy is in ruins, and poor harvests because of climate change are exacerbating the distress, it said.
Many of the returnees arrive with only the clothes on their backs, World Vision said.
According to the UN World Food Programme, 10 million people in Afghanistan are threatened by hunger this summer.
NAN
