Iran’s chief of police, Ahmadreza Radan, announced that the country’s police are determined to deport two million “illegal” Afghan migrants by the end of this year.
Radan made the statement on Sunday, October 13, during a ceremony in Mashhad, stating that arrests of “illegal” Afghan migrants in Iran have increased.
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Radan added that since the announcement of the deportation plan, both the number of voluntary surrenders and the arrests of undocumented foreign nationals have risen.
He had previously mentioned that the Islamic Republic aims to expel around two million “illegal foreign nationals” from Iran by the end of the current year.
The Iranian government has intensified its pressure on Afghan migrants, imposing strict limitations on their work and activities in most major cities.
Iran’s interior minister, Eskandar Momeni, urged Afghan migrants living in Iran to “return to their country and work to rebuild it.”
However, due to the dire conditions in Afghanistan, including increased poverty and unemployment following the Taliban’s return to power, many Afghans are fleeing their homeland for Iran and other neighboring countries.
Amid this humanitarian crisis, the forced deportation of Afghan refugees adds to their plight. Struggling with extreme poverty and lacking opportunities, Afghan migrants are caught between the challenges of living as refugees in hostile environments and the bleak prospects of returning to a war-torn and impoverished homeland.
Iran plans to deport two million ‘undocumented’ Afghan migrants
Afghan Australian Sara* is sobbing as she speaks via video call from Iran, a bandage on her nose that she explains was caused by flying missile debris raining down on traffic.
About a month ago, Sara and her husband, Fadi*, left their Adelaide home to help their Afghan family members who are in Iran illegally, in hiding and in danger after fleeing the Taliban after the fall of Kabul in 2021.
The Australian government has told citizens not to travel to Iran. There are risks of missile strikes, terrorist attacks, kidnapping and a “high risk of arbitrary detention or arrest,” according to the Smartraveller website.
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But Sara, 54, felt she had to go to help her mum, Rosina*, who is in her 70s, and to check on her other relatives. There are 16 of them – three families with seven children under 16 years old. The youngest is just five and pops her head into the video call with a cheeky smile.
Rosina is one of 230,000 Afghans awaiting a decision from the Australian government on a visa that would ensure her safe passage to our shores, away from the reign of the Taliban in the region.
In August 2021, after western troops withdrew from Afghanistan, the Nazar family desperately tried to get on one of the few evacuation flights.
“We attempted multiple times after the withdrawal to attend the airport, the gate that we were trying so hard to get to is instilled in our hearts,” one of the men, Faraz*, says through a translator.
“It’s called Abbey Gate, the gate we never reached.“T
he Taliban would come right near us, and start firing the AK-47. The kids were screaming and yelling. They beat us with the AK-47s, pushed the women around. The kids got trampled.”
Other direct family members – locally engaged employees working for Australia – got out. But those left behind were targeted by the Taliban.
“The Taliban assaulted us. Our house was raided and that was the final straw. We knew we were in danger … it felt like the end of the world on the streets,” Faraz says.
The family fled to Iran, holding on to a promise from Australia that they would be protected by their 449 visas – a temporary evacuation visa that was extended – with visa holders assured they would be prioritised in Australia’s humanitarian and refugee intake.
According to the latest statistics, more than 250,000 Afghans have applied to the department of foreign affairs for a visa. About 20,000 of applications have been granted.
The government has allocated 26,500 dedicated visa places for Afghans under its offshore humanitarian program through to 2026 and at least 5,000 through the family stream.
The Dfat website says it is processing applications as quickly as they can, but that there are limited places. “We expect it may take several years to finalise all of those received in 2021,” it says.
“We expect it will take at least six years from date of receipt for processing to commence on those lodged in 2022, 2023 or 2024.”
Priority is being given to groups including locally engaged employees (LEEs), 449 visa holders and their family members.
Meanwhile, Rosina hasn’t been able to see a doctor for years, too fearful of the danger outside her front door.
“I had to come,” Sara says.
“They have been inside the house for two years. They can’t go out. The police are deporting people, beating them. They disappear.
“I went to the Australian embassy to get some answers … but they didn’t open the door to us. They said to call or email.”
The family members that made it to Australia have been calling and emailing for years and the advice to the family has remained the same: go to the embassy.
Asked if she’ll try to get out now that an Israeli attack seems imminent, Sara says she can’t. “How can I leave my mum, my family here? They need me. They need me to buy them food.”
The Greens immigration spokesperson, David Shoebridge, says the Australian government has “failed to live up to” its responsibility to Afghans “after the generation-long invasion of Afghanistan”.
“The Iranian regime is brutal. People from Afghanistan in Iran right now are not safe,” he says, adding that the government should have learned from the situation in Pakistan with deportations and focus on getting people out of Iran.
“It was clear that the regime there would persecute people fleeing from Afghanistan,” he says.
“The government did not act, and now people are in a deeply dangerous situation.”
The danger is from both the threat of attack and from the deportations. The Iranian and Pakistani governments are rounding up Afghans and sending them back to the country they fled.
A Dfat spokesperson said the government “remains committed to assisting Afghans who supported Australia’s mission in Afghanistan”.
“The government … is extending all available effort to finalising certifications and visa applications for Afghan LEEs. If a person is certified as an Afghan LEE, the Department of Home Affairs will prioritise the processing of their humanitarian visa application,” the spokesperson said.
The home affairs website says the government policy is to also prioritise the immediate families of LEEs.
“There were promises made, very reluctantly, but they were made,” Shabnam Safa, from the Australian Hazara Advocacy Network, says. “Australia was involved there for 20 years.
“You can’t help but feel that the whole Afghanistan matter has been completely deprioritised.”
“We know people cannot get bread from local bakeries. They can’t get groceries – there are official signs saying we will not sell anything to Afghan refugees here. Let alone having no access to education, or employment, and constantly living in fear of being deported back to the Taliban.”
The Nazar family say they fear deportation and death.
“If you want us to die, we need to know that’s our destiny. Once they find us we will be deported,” Faraz says.
“We’re losing faith that we’re going to be rescued.”
*Names have been changed
‘If you want us to die, we need to know’: hundreds of thousands of Afghans are waiting for visas to Australia – and time is running out
French police secure the area after a man with a knife wounded several people at the Gare du Nord train station in Paris, France, January 11, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
AFP, citing a source close to the case, reported that a young Afghan man was arrested in the city of Toulouse, France. The man is the brother of Nasir Ahmad Touhidi, who was arrested in Oklahoma, USA, and is accused of planning an attack on the U.S. presidential election day.
The French anti-terrorism court has not yet provided full details about the identity of the young man arrested in Toulouse.
According to AFP, the 22-year-old Afghan man intended to target a shopping center or a football stadium. French police arrested him after U.S. authorities, during their investigation of Nasir Ahmad Touhidi, shared information with the French police.
French police stated that three individuals were arrested in Toulouse on charges of “terrorism and plotting a suspected attack.” However, after initial investigations, the French anti-terrorism prosecutor released two suspects.
Earlier, on October 7, U.S. authorities reported the arrest of Nasir Ahmad Touhidi, a 27-year-old Afghan refugee, on charges of planning an attack during the U.S. presidential election.
The U.S. Department of Justice accused Touhidi of planning a terrorist attack in the name of ISIS, intending to shoot people and cause mass casualties on election day in November.
NBC News reported on October 10 that Touhidi had previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan as a security guard.
The case involving Nasir Ahmad Touhidi and his brother has raised serious concerns about potential terrorist threats on both sides of the Atlantic. As investigations continue, cooperation between international law enforcement agencies highlights intelligence-sharing’s critical importance in preventing such attacks.
Afghan arrested in France is brother of man who planned US election attack
Stanekzai also emphasized that Afghans do not accept foreign governance and have always given a strong response to the enemies of the country.
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the Deputy Political Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that national unity is a fundamental need for the country. In a meeting in Kabul, Stanekzai said that Afghans should learn from the past and set aside ethnic nationalism and other challenges.
He stated: “I hope that God helps us build this country and gives our people the strength to unite, join hands, stand together, and rebuild this nation. This country belongs to all of us; it is the homeland of all ethnic groups.”
Stanekzai also emphasized that Afghans do not accept foreign governance and have always given a strong response to the enemies of the country.
He called on political figures to return to the country.
The Deputy Political Minister said: “In this country, everyone has equal rights. No one, as an Afghan, has the right to tell another Afghan who they are, where they came from, or what they are doing. Every Afghan has the right to contribute actively to the progress of this country. There is no problem here; the country is open to all, and anyone can freely return and live in their homeland.”
Stanekzai further stressed that Pakistan and Iran should provide more facilities for Afghan refugees and revise their policies towards them.
He added that Afghan refugees are not a burden on Iran and Pakistan but have contributed to the development of these countries through their investments.
Stanekzai elaborated: “Our migrants in Iran are not a burden. Iran does not give them free bread or money. Every one of them works there and contributes. They work in the factories, and if Iran is prosperous today, it is with the help of these Afghans, not anyone else.”
Stanekzai also mentioned that corruption and challenges in government institutions are not as widespread as before, and efforts are being made to eliminate these issues.
Stanekzai Emphasizes the Need for National Unity in Afghanistan
Amnesty International has stated that the United Nations Human Rights Council’s resolution on Afghanistan has failed to provide an adequate response to the escalating human rights crisis in the country.
The organization asserts that the Taliban continues to suppress the rights of the Afghan people.
In a statement released on Thursday, October 10, Amnesty International noted that while the UN Human Rights Council extended Richard Bennett’s mandate, it still did not establish an independent international accountability mechanism for the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.
Smriti Singh, Amnesty International’s regional director for South Asia, criticized the Human Rights Council for failing to provide adequate support for justice to the people of Afghanistan, who have placed their hopes in the international community.
Amnesty International warned that the shortcomings in this resolution leave brave activists, particularly women human rights defenders, journalists, and others who continue their work in the face of repression, in a precarious situation.
The organization emphasized the urgent need for UN member states to act swiftly to establish an independent international accountability mechanism. This would ensure that those responsible for human rights violations are held accountable.
Hillary Power from Human Rights Watch described the latest resolution of the UN Human Rights Council as another failure for the body. She noted that despite repeated requests from human rights groups, the Council has not created a mechanism for holding the Taliban accountable for human rights violations.
The ongoing human rights violations in Afghanistan, particularly against women and girls, are exacerbating the dire humanitarian crisis in the country. With the Taliban’s strict regulations prohibiting women from participating in public life and education, the prospects for future generations are bleak.
These violations not only undermine the dignity and rights of Afghan women but also hinder the country’s overall development and stability.
As the international community grapples with the crisis, it is crucial to advocate for stronger mechanisms that ensure accountability and protection of human rights in Afghanistan.
Supporting local and international efforts to document abuses and demand justice can empower the voices of those affected and contribute to fostering a more inclusive and just society.
Amnesty: Human Rights Council fails to address human rights crisis in Afghanistan
Karin Decker, the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, stated that Afghanistan’s future is bleak without the participation of girls. She emphasized that Afghan girls deserve learning, growth, work, and advancement opportunities.
On Friday, October 11, Decker wrote on the social media platform X to mark International Day of the Girl, reaffirming that the U.S. mission tirelessly supports the right to education for Afghan girls.
“The U.S. advocates tirelessly for Afghan girls who face barriers to education and basic freedoms because every Afghan girl deserves the chance to learn, grow, work, and thrive. The future of Afghanistan cannot be assured without their contributions,” Decker said.
October 11 is designated as International Day of the Girl. On this day, many international human rights organizations and women’s rights activists reiterated the importance of girls’ education and called for the removal of restrictions on Afghan women.
Rosa Otunbayeva, head of UNAMA, announced on International Day of the Girl that it has been 1,120 days since the Taliban banned education for girls. She highlighted that Afghan girls are suffering more each day and that Afghanistan is regressing instead of progressing.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) issued a message on International Day of the Girl, stating that collective action is needed to support and remove barriers for Afghan girls. The organization emphasized the importance of investing in women’s movements and amplifying the voices of “Afghanistan’s courageous girls.”
The ongoing denial of educational opportunities for Afghan girls is a critical issue that demands urgent attention from the international community.
Supporting their right to education not only empowers these young women but also contributes to Afghanistan’s broader development and stability. Global leaders and organizations must work together to ensure that Afghan girls can realize their potential and shape a brighter future for their country.
US Charge d’Affaires: Afghanistan’s future is bleak without girls’ participation
UL, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Airlines have diverted more flights over Afghanistan over the past week to avoid Iranian airspace, data shows, adding to journey times and fuel costs in the latest disruption for routes between Asia and Europe as tensions in the Middle East escalate.
Flights over Afghanistan were already growing in recent months, but expectations of an Israeli response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel last week have furthered that trend, data from flight tracker FlightRadar24 shows.
EASA last week issued a warning for airlines to avoid Iranian airspace.
FlightRadar24 showed 132 overflights of Afghanistan on Sept. 29. On Oct. 2, the day after Iran attacked Israel, the number of Afghan overflights rose to 176.
On Oct. 6, the daily number had steadily risen to 222.
Taliban officials said the number of overflights were even higher in recent days than the FlightRadar24 data showed.
“Specifically, over the past five or six days, there have been about 350 transit flights in 24 hours, compared to around 100 transit flights (a year ago) previously,” said Imamudden Ahmadi, the spokesperson for the Taliban-run Ministry of Transportation and Aviation.
Airlines flying over Afghanistan: SQ326 flight path
The data did not show a breakdown of which airlines were using Afghan airspace more in the last week. British Airways and Singapore Airlines did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Many airlines had started routing through Iran and the Middle East after Russian and Ukrainian skies were closed to most Western carriers when the Ukraine war began in 2022.
The new rerouting shows the difficult calculus airlines are forced to make as the safety of the airspace across the Middle East becomes more precarious and fears of a regional war rise a year after the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
“What was already a very limited set of route options is now down to the last few choices that there are – hence Afghanistan seeing more traffic,” said Mark Zee, the founder of flight-risk information sharing organization OPSGROUP.
Air traffic control for carriers flying over Afghanistan has not been available since the Taliban took over three years ago – leaving airlines to rely on guidelines from regulators.
“I expect that this avoidance of Iran, and possibly Iraq, will continue for several weeks at least, until either Israel makes a move, or the situation calms,” Zee said.
More airlines fly over Afghanistan in last week as Middle East tensions rise
U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan’s Women, Girls, and Human Rights, Rina Amiri, said on Friday that Afghans, especially women and girls, are facing a devastating mental health crisis due to the Taliban’s extremist policies.
“As we commemorate World Mental Health Day, I want to draw attention to the devastating mental health crisis faced by Afghans, especially women & girls, due to the Taliban’s alarming & extreme policies,” Amiri said.
“We must all be resolute in supporting them in the struggle for their rights,” she added.
Over the past three years, the Taliban has imposed widespread restrictions on the private and public lives of Afghan citizens, especially women.
Previously, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that the Taliban’s enforcement of the “Amr bil Ma’roof” law has significantly increased mental health pressures on Afghan women.
The UN agency further stated that the restrictions under this law have left many Afghan women feeling hopeless, depressed, and angry.
The continued impact of the Taliban’s harsh policies is worsening the mental health situation in Afghanistan, particularly among women who bear the brunt of these oppressive restrictions.
Global support and action are critical to addressing the mental health crisis in Afghanistan, with a focus on protecting the rights and well-being of women and girls in Afghanistan.
US envoy says Afghan women and girls face devastating mental health crisis
On International Day of the Girl, Hamid Karzai stated that girls, like boys, play a vital role in the advancement of society, and their exclusion from social life and education causes irreparable harm. He urged the Taliban to reopen schools and universities for girls.
Karzai emphasized on Friday that “we must do everything we can to educate our children and for the good and well-being of our country.”
Karin Decker, the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, stressed that Afghanistan’s future is bleak without girls’ participation in society.
On October 11, International Day of the Girl, Decker reaffirmed the U.S. mission’s commitment to supporting Afghan girls’ education.
Many international organizations reiterated the importance of girls’ education on October 11, calling for the removal of restrictions on Afghan women.
Rosa Otunbayeva of UNAMA highlighted that it has been 1,120 days since the Taliban banned education for girls, emphasizing their suffering.
The collective calls for action on International Day of the Girl underscore the urgent need to prioritize education and opportunities for Afghan girls, as their empowerment is essential for Afghanistan’s future development and stability.
Karzai calls on Taliban to reopen schools and universities for girls
Meanwhile, some migrant rights activists say that the host government must treat Afghan migrants better.
Hossein Sharafati, Director General of Foreign Nationals and Migrants of Khorasan Razavi, Iran, says that over 270,000 illegal Afghan migrants have been deported from Iran in the past six months.
In an interview with Iranian media, Sharafati said that none of the Afghan migrants, whether legal or illegal, have the right to reside or work in certain cities of the country.
The Director General of Foreign Nationals and Migrants of Khorasan Razavi said: “None of the Afghan nationals, whether authorized or unauthorized, have the right to reside or work in the seven border cities of the province, and identifying these individuals has become a priority for relevant authorities.”
At the same time, some Afghan migrants residing in Iran say they are facing numerous challenges, such as forced deportation and being denied the right to work in the country.
They have called on the caretaker government to address their challenges.
Mohammad Akbar Soltani, an Afghan migrant in Iran, said: “In a shop, a company, or a store, migrants are not allowed to work. The Afghan passport has no value.”
Meanwhile, some migrant rights activists say that the host government must treat Afghan migrants better.
Alireza Karimi, a migrant rights activist, said: “Iran, as a host to a large number of Afghan migrants, is obligated to treat them in a humane and just manner in accordance with international laws.”
Sharafati also mentioned that 75% of Afghan migrants in Iran reside and work, while the remaining 25% have chosen to go to European and Asian countries.
Iran Deports Over 270,000 Afghan Migrants in Six Months
Afghanistan Peace Campaign
