Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and UNHCR representative Arafat Jamal discuss improving support and reintegration for returning Afghans….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has held talks with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, on strengthening support for Afghan refugees returning to the country amid a growing number of deportations from neighbouring nations.
The meeting focused on improving cooperation and coordination between the Taliban-led administration and the UN refugee agency to ensure better conditions for returnees, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, according to Ariana News.
Both sides also discussed the need to coordinate efforts among countries and international organisations involved in supporting the return and reintegration of Afghan refugees.
The discussions come as international agencies report an increase in the deportation of Afghan refugees from neighbouring countries, with humanitarian organisations repeatedly calling for returns to be carried out safely and with dignity.
Meanwhile, Taliban Deputy Spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said 201 Afghan families, comprising 1,002 people, returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran on Saturday.
According to a daily operational report from the High Commission for Addressing Returnees’ Issues, 105 families comprising 571 people entered through the Torkham crossing, while five families with 30 members returned via Spin Boldak.
Another 81 families, comprising 353 people, crossed into Afghanistan through the Silk Bridge crossing in Nimroz province, while 10 families with 48 members returned through the Islam Qala crossing.
Fitrat said 121 families, comprising 692 individuals, were relocated to different provinces across Afghanistan. Assistance was provided to 132 families, while 114 families received SIM cards, according to the report.
The growing influx of returnees has raised concerns among humanitarian organisations about Afghanistan’s capacity to absorb and support those returning amid an ongoing economic and humanitarian crisis.
In June, Amnesty International urged governments to halt what it described as the unlawful expulsion of Afghan refugees and called for people requiring international protection to be safeguarded under international human rights law.
The rights group warned that Afghan refugees face arbitrary arrests and family separations in host countries, while many encounter serious human rights challenges after returning to Afghanistan.
