Attachments
1,282 AFGHAN REFUGEES RETURNED TO AFGHANISTAN
602,850 UNDOCUMENTED AFGHANS RETURNED FROM IRAN AND PAKISTAN
31,404 INTERVIEWS WITH RETURNEES FROM IRAN AND PAKISTAN
Since 01 January, UNHCR assisted the return of 1,282 Afghan refugees from Iran (626), Pakistan (607) and other countries (49) including Tajikistan, India, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and the Russian Federation, under its facilitated voluntary repatriation programme. After a temporary suspension of voluntary repatriation between 04 March and 29 April due to COVID-19, UNHCR resumed its facilitated voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran as of 30 April and from Pakistan and other countries as of 10 August.
Refugee returnees receive a multi-purpose cash grant (on average USD 250 per person) and other services at Encashment Centers (ECs) located in Herat, Kandahar, Kabul, and Nangarhar provinces. UNHCR’s cash grants to refugee returnees are intended to prevent, reduce, and respond to immediate protection risks and vulnerabilities upon return to Afghanistan.
According to MoRR/IOM, during the weeks of 27 September – 03 October, the total number of undocumented returnees from Iran was 25,917 (13,576 deportees and 12,341 spontaneous returnees) and from Pakistan was 132 (100 spontaneous returnees and 32 deportees). Since 01 January, the total number of undocumented returnees is 602,850 individuals, including 597,717 from Iran (375,490 spontaneous returnees and 222,227 deportees) and 5,133 from Pakistan (4,731 spontaneous returnees and 402 deportees).
During the week, regular population movements (some 270,000 individuals in both directions) continued through Spin Boldak to/from Afghanistan. Torkham border was opened for pedestrian movement on 29 and 30 September as well as on 01 and 03 October, during which over 20,000 individuals (stranded Afghans and Pakistanis) crossed to/from Afghanistan.
Since 21 August, Spin Boldak crossing point has been open seven days a week for pedestrians and commercial trucks. As of 25 August, Torkham border has been open on Mondays and Tuesdays for refugee returnee movements to Afghanistan. Furthermore, on 28 September the Government of Pakistan decided that the Torkham and other crossing points with Afghanistan located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, will be open for pedestrian traffic on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.