Former U.S.
Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has actually dramatically slammed Iran’& rsquo; s continuous mass deportation of Afghan migrants, explaining the expulsions as “& ldquo; brutal & rdquo; and caution of the extreme humanitarian repercussions dealing with Afghanistan.In a statement issued Tuesday, Khalilzad said he had gotten worrying firsthand reports from humanitarian workers running near the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat province, where thousands of Afghans are being by force repatriated by Iranian authorities.Migrants are being managed the streets without notification, packed onto buses, and deserted at the Afghan border, Khalilzad stated.“& ldquo; When migrants try to leave in harmony and with their households, they are informed their loved ones will be deported individually which they should find them on their own,” & rdquo; Khalilzad said.He advised the Islamic Republic of Iran to scale back the speed of deportations and coordinate repatriation efforts with Afghan civil organizations and international aid agencies, consisting of the UN and NGOs, to make sure that returns are carried out in a humane and organized manner.The Iranian deportations come amidst installing economic and security pressures inside Iran, where Afghan refugees –-- numerous undocumented –-- have long comprised one of the region’& rsquo; s biggest displaced populations.Human rights companies report that numerous thousands of Afghans have actually been expelled from Iran this year, straining the currently delicate humanitarian infrastructure in western Afghanistan.Khalilzad meanwhile cautioned Tuesday that much of these deportees have no homes or family networks to go back to, having actually gotten away years previously due to war and drought.Analysts have meanwhile stated that Afghanistan is in no position to take in returnees at this scale and speed, especially as the country is currently contending with a humanitarian crisis.Iran has hosted countless Afghan refugees for decades, much of whom left conflict throughout the Soviet occupation in the 1980s and, more recently, throughout the two-decade U.S.
war in Afghanistan.
While some refugees have legal status, the bulk remain undocumented and vulnerable to arrest, detention, and deportation.In current years, Iran’& rsquo; s economic crisis-- aggravated by U.S.
sanctions, inflation, and internal political discontent –-- has actually sustained anti-migrant sentiment.Khalilzad’& rsquo; s declaration adds to a growing number of international calls advising Iran to reconsider its expulsion policy.
Help groups working on the ground say they are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of returnees, much of whom get here without paperwork, cash, or access to shelter or medical care.The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) have actually consistently called for higher coordination and for host nations to prevent forced returns unless conditions inside Afghanistan permit safe reintegration.With Afghanistan still reeling from economic collapse, global seclusion, and the long-term effects of war, observers say the country can not manage mass returns without collaborated international assistance.The post Khalilzad condemns Iran’& rsquo; s & lsquo; harsh & rsquo; mass deportation of Afghan migrants first appeared on TINS News|Afghanistan News.