Attachments
Highlights
- 457 undocumented Afghans returned from Pakistan
- 10,123 undocumented Afghans returned from Iran
- 96,807 total returns from Pakistan since 01 Jan 2017
- 428,054 total returns from Iran since 01 Jan 2017
- 79% of returnees from Pakistan (359 individuals) assisted
- 6% of returnees from Iran (628 individuals) assisted
- 141 Unaccompanied Migrant Children (UMC) from Iran among those assisted, 0 from Pakistan
- 103 Medical Cases (MC) from Iran among those assisted, 0 from Pakistan
Situation Overview
IOM is responding to a substantial increase in the return of undocumented Afghans from Pakistan and Iran. Since 01 January 2017, over 524,000 undocumented Afghans have returned due to diverse push factors, including deteriorating protection space in Pakistan and Iran. This figure represents a significantly lower rate of return than in previous years. Most of those returning have lived outside of Afghanistan for decades, and will need support from the government and humanitarian actors both on arrival and as they seek to reintegrate. As the rate of return is influenced by a number of political, security and other related factors both in Afghanistan and neighboring countries, another surge in returns could occur at any time. IOM estimates that approximately 558,526 undocumented Afghans could return from Pakistan and Iran in 2017, and is working to scale up its support to returnees in coordination with the Government of Afghanistan and other humanitarian partners.