Iran ‘forcefully’ deports over 3,000 Afghan refugees
-
Salma Hossein
- . January 27, 2023
- . Update: January 27, 2023 2:30 pm
The Islamic Republic of Iran has ‘forcefully’ deported over 3,000 Afghan refugees through Islam Qala and Pule Abrishum borders to the country, according to Khaama Press.
According to the Taliban-led Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation of Afghanistan, 3,123 Afghan migrants were expelled from Iran on January 24 and 25, respectively. The forceful deportation and detention of Afghan refugees continued in recent months.
Some Afghans left Iran out of concern for their life and due to deteriorating economic conditions. According to Taliban officials, many Afghan refugees entered Afghanistan through Herat and Nimruz provinces.
According to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than four million Afghans currently live in the Islamic Republic. The Taliban authorities have called on Iranian officials to treat Afghan refugees with decency.
Read | 9 Palestinians, including elderly woman, killed by Israeli army in clashes near Jenin
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, many Afghan nationals left Afghanistan out of fear of Taliban persecution. Many people also left the country due to political instability and the economic crisis in Afghanistan. However, the Afghan refugees who fled to Iran expressed concern and sadness over the challenges they faced in the Islamic Republic.
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, conditions in the Islamic Republic deteriorated further. The Taliban authorities imposed several restrictions on people, especially women. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Taliban officials dismissed all women leaders from leadership posts. They prohibited young girls from going to secondary schools. They also refused to give employment to women in the country.
The withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan began in 2021 on August 31. Subsequently, the Taliban officials started taking control of Afghanistan. On August 31, 2022, the Taliban authorities declared a national holiday and celebrated the first anniversary of the withdrawal of United States-led troops from the country. They held an official celebration at Bagram air base.
