Over 1.1 million Afghans deported from Iran, UN rushes aid amid crisis

Zia, an Afghan man who left for Iran seven years ago in search of a better future, now finds himself in dire conditions in a returnee camp in Kabul after being forcibly deported, Tolo News reported.

Zia, now living with his children in one of the makeshift camps, spoke about the harsh treatment faced during their migration and their current struggles. "We were under pressure, they fined us and deported us, and now we are left with only 200 million tomans, of which only 100 million have been given to us to cover our expenses. The UN also provides aid that's neither enough to live nor to die. Our request is for help. We have no home now," Zia told Tolo News. 

 

According to Tolo News, Zia's story reflects the situation of thousands of other Afghan returnees who continue to live between the pain of exile and homelessness in their homeland. The hardships are visibly etched on the faces of his children, shaped by years of displacement in Iran and now life without shelter in Afghanistan.

In response to the worsening crisis, Tom Fletcher, the UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator, has allocated $10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to assist returnees from Iran. The announcement was made by Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Tolo News reported. 

 

"There's been a surge of returns from Iran in recent weeks. The new funding will help expand support for the most vulnerable, including women and children, as they arrive in and in their areas of return," Dujarric said.

As per Tolo News, the funds aim to bolster life-saving assistance at the borders and provide aid to vulnerable groups. According to UN data, nearly 339,000 people have returned from Iran to Afghanistan in just the first twelve days of July, with over 60 percent being families and 43 percent children under the age of 18. 

 

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, raised the issue of forced deportations during his recent visit to Tehran, urging Iranian officials to halt such actions. The developments come amid increasing pressure on Afghan migrants in Iran, according to Tolo News.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Jamal Muslim, a migrant rights activist, expressed disappointment over the UN's approach. "Multilateral meetings might send a message to governments, but unfortunately, on critical issues, the UN takes a selective approach toward Third World countries and has so far done nothing meaningful for the citizens who are in need," he told Tolo News.

More than 1.1 million Afghans have been deported from Iran and returned to Afghanistan since the beginning of this year, UN-affiliated organisations confirmed, as reported by Tolo News.