ReliefWeb

Highlights

282,863 total returns from Iran and Pakistan since 01 Jan 2019

269,241 total returns from Iran

13,622 total returns from Pakistan

9,804 undocumented Afghans returned from Iran with 5% of returnees from Iran (537 individuals) assisted

563 undocumented Afghans returned from Pakistan with 101% of returnees from Pakistan (538 individuals) assisted including 1% (5 individuals) from previous weeks.

Return from Iran

According to the Border Monitoring Team of the Directorate of Refugees and Repatriation (DoRR), a total of 9,804 undocumented Afghans spontaneously returned or were deported from Iran through the Milak (Nimroz) and Herat (Islam Qala) border crossings between 28 July to 03 August 2019, 5 % more than the previous week (9,804). 4,634 returned voluntarily, 5170 were deported. This brings the total number of undocumented returnees from Iran since 01 January 2019 to 269,241. IOM provided post-arrival humanitarian assistance to 537 (5%) undocumented Afghans deported from Iran at its Transit Centers in Nimroz and Herat, including 68 Unaccompanied Migrant Children, 34 Medical Cases, 95 members of Single Parent Families, 5 Physically Disabled persons, 17 Unaccompanied Elderly, 5 Single Females, and 181 members of deported families, 10 persons with substance abuse concerns.

Protection Assistance for Returnees

The Protection unit completed case management assessments for 69 PSN cases in Kunduz, Saripul, Takhar, Herat, Balkh, Nimroz, Kabul and Nangarhar provinces including 11 special cases, 23 Unaccompanied Migrant Children, 19 femaleheaded households, 4 at risk elderly persons, 8 single females, 8 medical cases and 4 persons with substance abuse concerns. In addition, 28 Unaccompanied Migrant Children, 16 medical cases, 15 special cases and 6 elderlies at risk received protection assistance in Saripul province.

Situation Overview

In 2019, IOM is projecting a return of over 570,000 returnees from Iran linked to ongoing economic challenges and a minimum of 50,000 returns from Pakistan, a figure that has already been endorsed by the Governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The remaining undocumented and Afghan Citizenship Card holding caseloads of more than 1,000,000 people may also face deportation from Pakistan in 2019. On 27 June, ACCs were extended until 31 October 2019 by the Government of Pakistan.

Return from Pakistan

According to the Border Monitoring Team of the Directorate of Refugees and Repatriation (DoRR), a total of 563 undocumented Afghans spontaneously returned or were deported from Pakistan through the Turkham (Nangarhar) and Spin Boldak (Kandahar) border crossings from 28 July to 03 August 2019. all of them were spontaneous returnees. This number marks a 52% increase compared to the previous week (370). The total number of undocumented Afghan returnees from Pakistan since 01 January 2019 is now 13,622. IOM provided post-arrival assistance to 101% of undocumented returnees from Pakistan including 6 persons from previous weeks (568 individuals).