An Iranian official says that 1.8 million Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan this year through the Dogharoon-Islam Qala crossing, marking one of the largest waves of departures in recent years.
Amrollah Shamghadri, Deputy for Security and Law Enforcement in Iran’s Razavi Khorassan Province, told Tasnim News Agency that the figure reprsents “one of the most extensive waves of Afghan repatriation in recent years.”
He said the peak occurred during the 12-day conflict earlier this year, after which the outflow has slowed and become “stable and manageable” in recent months.
Shamghadri noted that despite the large number of departures, the impact on the province’s labor market, urban services, and security sector has been limited. According to provincial assessments, the overall effect has been around 10 percent, causing “no significant disruption.”
Iranian authorities have previously stated that the number of Afghan migrants living in the country reaches several million. Earlier this year, Iran ordered two million undocumented Afghans, those holding temporary census documents, to leave the country.
The explosion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan is also ongoing, even as Afghanistan continues to face a worsening economic crisis and widespread unemployment. Despite the situation, some returners are reportedly attempting to re-enter Iran illegally in search of work.
