A new wave of deportations from Iran has forced hundreds of thousands of Afghans back to a struggling homeland, intensifying their fears about poverty and harsh limitations imposed by the Taliban. Many returnees express frustration over their unexpected return and the challenges ahead.
Afghans Face Grim Prospects After Deportation from Iran
Afghans Face Grim Prospects After Deportation from Iran
As Iran deports over a million Afghans, many are left uncertain about their future in Afghanistan, confronting dire conditions and gender-based restrictions.
In an overwhelming rush, nearly 20,000 Afghans each day are crossing back into Afghanistan from Iran, expelled amid a governmental crackdown on undocumented migrants. This year alone, more than 1.4 million Afghan individuals have been forcibly removed, as reported by the United Nations Refugee Agency, with over half a million returned just in recent weeks following escalated tensions between Iran and Israel.
The deportees are arriving at border processing centers, particularly in Islam Qala, where they find themselves voicing confusion and despair regarding their future. Many returnees, who had established lives in Iran, are returning to a country already beset by severe humanitarian issues and a stringent regime that imposes significant restrictions on women and girls.
One returnee, Mohammad Akhundzada, reflects on his extensive work in Iran, stating, “I worked in Iran for 42 years, so hard that my knees are broken, and for what?” His sentiment resonates as numerous returnees articulate their hostility and bewilderment toward the precarious situation they now face in Afghanistan, a place some have little familiarity with.
The border facility in Islam Qala is currently overwhelmed, with the influx of returnees stressing resources and raising further concerns about the well-being of those sent back to a homeland rife with societal turmoil and economic instability. As they contemplate their next steps, the harsh reality of a country in crisis looms large for the displaced Afghans.
The deportees are arriving at border processing centers, particularly in Islam Qala, where they find themselves voicing confusion and despair regarding their future. Many returnees, who had established lives in Iran, are returning to a country already beset by severe humanitarian issues and a stringent regime that imposes significant restrictions on women and girls.
One returnee, Mohammad Akhundzada, reflects on his extensive work in Iran, stating, “I worked in Iran for 42 years, so hard that my knees are broken, and for what?” His sentiment resonates as numerous returnees articulate their hostility and bewilderment toward the precarious situation they now face in Afghanistan, a place some have little familiarity with.
The border facility in Islam Qala is currently overwhelmed, with the influx of returnees stressing resources and raising further concerns about the well-being of those sent back to a homeland rife with societal turmoil and economic instability. As they contemplate their next steps, the harsh reality of a country in crisis looms large for the displaced Afghans.
