KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — The Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations on Saturday announced plans to build a settlement for returning refugees in the Anaba district of Panjshir province.
The ministry stated that the settlement will be constructed on 178.28 acres of land under the direct orders of their supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, who has recently come under international scrutiny.
While the ministry has confirmed the location and scope of the settlement, it has not provided further details about the project, including its timeline, the exact number of returnees to be accommodated, or the criteria for land allocation.
The ministry has also not explained how the settlement will be managed or the process through which refugees will be resettled in the area.
This move is part of a broader scheme by the Taliban to resettle refugees across Afghanistan.
The group has earmarked land for refugee settlements in several provinces, including Kabul, Ghazni, Uruzgan, Farah, Kandahar, Jawzjan, Samangan, Panjshir, and Bamiyan. Earlier this month, the Taliban began a similar land distribution program for refugees in Daikundi, a central province in Afghanistan.
The settlement project comes nearly two years after large-scale forced deportations of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Iran.
These deportations, which affected millions of people, have left many returnees struggling to find adequate housing and basic necessities. Reports from various returnees indicate that the lack of housing and employment opportunities continues to be a significant issue for those who have come back to Afghanistan.
However, the decision to build settlements in provinces like Panjshir, which is predominantly Tajik and not traditionally a primary destination for returnees, has raised concerns.
Some critics argue that the Taliban is attempting to manipulate the region’s demographic makeup by settling Pashtun refugees, which could heighten tensions between returnees and the local population. Others question the viability of these settlements, given Afghanistan’s ongoing challenges, including a fragile economy, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of essential social services.
