Nearly 5.000 Afghan refugees have been expelled from neighbors Iran and Pakistan over the past three days, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) said on Monday.
Officials at the ministry stated that many of the returnees have come from Iran where they encountered a census taken by the Iranian government.
According to the findings of the ministry, at least 4,559 have returned home from Iran and Pakistan.
“I have visited the embassy several times, although I have paid the money of the identity card, they are telling me the site is closed, we will call you. They (people in embassy) do not consider our problems,” said Assadullah, an Afghan refugee in Iran.
“We go to the embassy and we face the same answer: come a month later. They are asking for identity cards from us,” said Rassoul, another Afghan refugee in Iran.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government urged Afghan authorities to stop illegal travel.
“With the start of the census process of Afghans, the deporting of Afghans without legal documents has increased. The government of Iran counts people who do not take part in the census as illegal refugees,” said Asefa Stanekzai, a representative for Afghan refugees in Iran.
At the same time, several Afghan refugees who have gone through the census process said they will gain access to some facilities including banking services.
“The people who receive these documents will receive some benefits like bank accounts, sim cards and their children will be allowed to go to school,” said Nusratullah Kashnani, an Afghan refugee in Iran.
The deportation of Afghan refugees comes as the United Nations and Amnesty International have called on the host countries to stop the eviction of refugees and migration and as well as the violating of the rights of refugees.
