U.S., Philippines reach deal to assist Afghan allies

The Washington Post
Hundreds of Afghan refugees will be temporarily relocated to the Philippines as part of a new pathway to U.S. resettlement.

The U.S. and Philippine governments have reached a deal to create a new pathway to the United States for Afghan allies who assisted the American war effort, relying on temporarily relocating some of them to Southeast Asia as they await approval for U.S. visas and resettlement, U.S. and Philippine officials said.

The agreement was announced Monday evening, days after the third anniversary of the collapse of the U.S.-backed government in Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021, following President Joe Biden’s order that April to fully withdraw U.S. troops. The ensuing crisis remains a low point of the Biden administration and a persistent electoral cudgel for Republicans.

It was not immediately clear where the Afghans initially approved for transport to the Philippines are now. Tens of thousands of Afghans who are potentially eligible for U.S. visas are spread across the globe, often settling temporarily wherever they can get approval.

In the three years since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the new government has reimposed strict religious controls, curtailing almost all rights for women and girls, while hunting and killing those who helped Americans. Human rights workers have warned that such revenge killings are a persistent problem.

The new plan will be part of Operation Enduring Welcome, the Biden administration’s effort to resettle Afghan allies. It calls for the Philippine government to process about 300 Afghans for resettlement as they await approval of special immigrant visas and resettlement in the United States, U.S. officials briefed on the matter said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

U.S. officials anticipate that the program could be extended and possibly expanded after the initial few hundred Afghans move through the Philippines, effectively turning the island nation into another temporary “way station” for Afghans as they await resettlement in the United States.

“We’re going to continue to have ongoing discussions with the Philippines, and we’re really hoping that we can show we are good partners in this project,” a senior State Department official said.

The temporary nature of the arrangement is a key detail for the government in Manila, U.S. officials said, with the expectation that Afghans would remain for no more than a few months. Those moving through the Philippines have undergone vetting and received initial approval from U.S. officials. The U.S. government will provide the Afghans involved with food, housing, security, medical services and transportation at a facility outside Manila. In recent days, the senior State Department official said, land has been cleared for a soccer field for the Afghans — and an eight-foot python that was discovered was quickly relocated.

The Biden administration has resettled more than 160,000 Afghans in the United States since 2021, a figure that includes both those who directly supported the U.S. government and their spouses and children, the senior State Department official said. They made it to the United States through several different pathways, including Qatar and Albania, officials said.

The expanded effort comes three years after a U.S.-led evacuation mission in Kabul airlifted 124,000 people to safety from a single runway in 17 days, but it was marked by scenes of desperation and tragedy. Tens of thousands of people eligible for relocation were left behind. An Islamic State suicide bombing at the outskirts of the Kabul airport killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 170 Afghans, and an errant U.S. drone strike a few days later killed seven children and three adult civilians.

U.S. officials said that Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan were among the senior U.S. leaders who helped close the deal with Manila. Biden raised the issue on several occasions, most recently during a meeting in the Oval Office on April 11, a senior administration official said.

Harris, now the Democratic nominee for president, suggested the idea to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on a visit to Manila in November 2022, a few months after he took office. She raised the proposal with him again in May 2023 when he visited Washington and in a November 2023 meeting in San Francisco, the senior administration official said.

Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran who leads #AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations assisting the resettlement of Afghans, said Harris’s engagement was key.

“My understanding is that this thing was sort of stalled, and she got it reinvigorated,” VanDiver said. “I think that it’s really notable that three years into this, we’re still doing this.”

The Philippine ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, called the agreement “very significant” and suggested it could be extended “if it’s something that we think is successful.” It grows out of a long humanitarian tradition dating to World War II, he said.

It was then, he said, between the late 1930s and 1941, that the commonwealth’s first president, Manuel Quezon, welcomed more than 1,200 Jewish refugees, most from Europe, to the Philippines. Not even the United States then was accepting Jews fleeing Nazi Germany, Romualdez noted.

During the Vietnam War, Marcos’s father, then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., opened a center in northern Luzon to process 30,000 Vietnamese people fleeing their country, Romualdez said.

“We’re doing what we can to contribute in our small way into helping people who are displaced,” he said. “I think the majority of people [in the Philippines] know that this is a good thing to do.”

The deal comes amid a backdrop of strengthened diplomatic and military ties between Washington and Manila. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently announced plans to deepen defense cooperation and contribute $500 million to modernize the Philippine armed forces.

The nations have a mutual-defense treaty and have grown closer since 2022, when Marcos Jr. took office, succeeding a populist, and drove Manila’s foreign policy sharply toward Washington. He has visited the United States four times, most recently in April.

“The fact that we’re able to do this at this point really reflects where we are in the U.S. bilateral relationship with the Philippines and how strong and good the partnership is right now,” a second senior State Department official said.

This was a “big ask” of Manila, the second official said, given domestic fears that what was framed as a temporary program could become permanent. The Philippines has for decades battled Islamist insurgencies, especially in its south.

U.S. officials assured their counterparts in Manila that the processing would be done swiftly and securely. The Afghans have provided “faithful, invaluable service” to the U.S. government in Afghanistan, officials said. They have gone through pre-travel security checks and medical screening at consulates and embassies around the world, the officials said.

“This does show how deep the trust and partnership is at the moment, extending beyond just the military components of the alliance to a willingness to cooperate politically, economically and diplomatically,” said Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

In the last year alone, officials noted, the two allies have strengthened people-to-people ties; a U.S. presidential trade mission resulted in $1 billion in investments in the Philippines; and Washington helped broker a trilateral summit with Japan and the Philippines to foster economic growth, including by launching an economic corridor on Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines.

But Manila is also mindful of China’s rising challenge, both economically and militarily. Numerous strains between the Philippines and China have emerged in recent years, including a confrontation in June in which Chinese coast guard personnel rammed their ships into Philippine vessels and then boarded them. On Monday, Chinese and Philippine vessels collided again, this time near Sabina Shoal.

Rebecca Tan contributed to this report.

U.S., Philippines reach deal to assist Afghan allies
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UK: Over 2 million people in Afghanistan received aid in 2023

Khaama Press

 

On World Humanitarian Day, the British Embassy for Afghanistan announced that in 2023, it provided aid to over 2.7 million people in Afghanistan.

In a message published on Monday, August 19, on their X page, the embassy stated that this humanitarian aid has reached 1.3 million women.

The British Embassy for Afghanistan emphasized that “on World Humanitarian Day, we continue to work with our partners to improve the challenging humanitarian situation facing the people of Afghanistan.”

Additionally, Robert Dykes, the chargé d’affaires of the British Embassy for Afghanistan, noted in reference to his recent visits to  Kabul that the UK’s humanitarian efforts have had a positive impact on the lives of the Afghan people.

Meanwhile, Irish officials have announced that they will provide 150 million euros in aid to Afghanistan, Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, and Ukraine.

This comes as humanitarian organizations have consistently warned about the worsening poverty and increasing needs in Afghanistan.

Michael Martin, the Irish Defense Minister, stated that these funds will be used this year to address humanitarian crises in war-torn countries.

Previously, the World Food Programme in Afghanistan reported a $330 million aid contribution from the UK and the United States for Afghanistan.

However, 23.7 million people in Afghanistan are facing a dire humanitarian crisis, which is being exacerbated by the forced deportation of refugees.

UK: Over 2 million people in Afghanistan received aid in 2023
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116 ancient artifacts from Aynak Copper Mine moved to Afghanistan Museum

The Ministry of Information and Culture has announced that dozens of artifacts from the Mes Aynak archaeological site in Logar have been transferred to the National Museum of Afghanistan.

Zebihullah Sadat, the head of archaeology at the Ministry of Information and Culture, stated on August 19, that 116 Mes Aynak artifacts were handed over to the National Museum after preliminary cleaning, photography, and initial registration.

The report indicates that these artifacts are of pottery and include various types of oil lamps and spindles.

Work at the Mes Aynak copper mine commenced earlier this month under the management of the Chinese company MCC. The mining contract, initially signed during Hamid Karzai’s presidency in 2008, faced delays due to the presence of an ancient settlement on the mining site.

The Mes Aynak mine is located approximately 30 kilometers from Kabul. Based on existing archaeological evidence such as smelted ore, ancient grinding mills, and old copper smelting tools, the site has a long historical significance, often dating back to pre-Islamic times.

The central and western parts of the Mes Aynak mine display a complete system of ancient excavations.

The transfer of these artifacts to the National Museum highlights ongoing concerns about the security and preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage.

The rapid pace of excavation and mining at Mes Aynak raises significant concerns about the potential damage to invaluable historical artifacts. There is a growing call for improved measures to ensure the protection of such sites during industrial operations.

Additionally, the lack of attention to the preservation of historical artifacts, including the significant Munar Jam of Herat, remains a pressing issue.

The Munar Jam, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has faced neglect and insufficient conservation efforts, raising alarms among historians and cultural preservationists.

Addressing these concerns is crucial for safeguarding Afghanistan’s rich cultural heritage and ensuring that future generations can appreciate and learn from these historical treasures.

116 ancient artifacts from Aynak Copper Mine moved to Afghanistan Museum
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Foreign Ministry Denounces Claims of Afghanistan-Origin Terrorism

The statement also mentioned the suppression of Daesh in the country and added that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is Pakistan’s internal issue.

In response to recent statements made by Asif Ali Durrani regarding the potential for a 9/11-style attack originating from Afghanistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs firmly asserted that such threats are more likely to emerge from Pakistan, not Afghanistan.

The Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized Afghanistan’s current state of stability and security, while also highlighting that the complete eradication of the ISIS threat would be possible if the group’s hideouts along the Durand Line were neutralized.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal further clarified that Afghanistan is no longer reliant on foreign loans and aid. Instead, the nation is making significant strides toward economic self-sufficiency by harnessing its own resources.

“The issues and threats that he referred to as coming from Afghanistan are, in reality, more likely to come from Pakistan. Afghanistan is now a stable country that is working towards self-sufficiency by utilizing its mineral resources, rather than relying on loans and foreign aid,” Takal said.

The statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also mentioned the suppression of Daesh in the country and added that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is Pakistan’s internal issue.

Mohammad Sadiq Shinwari, a military analyst, told TOLOnews: “The roots and foundations of terrorist groups are not in Afghanistan; rather, they are in Pakistan, which is currently jeopardizing regional stability.”

Salim Paigir, a political analyst, commented on Pakistan, saying, “The entire world knows that the terrorist hideouts are in Pakistan, and Pakistan intends to organize some kind of explosion in the future in Europe or the United States and preemptively blame the Afghans for it.”

Asif Ali Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Asif Ali Durrani had earlier claimed that attacks similar to 9/11 could potentially originate from Afghanistan in the future.

Foreign Ministry Denounces Claims of Afghanistan-Origin Terrorism
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952 Ex-Officials Return to Afghanistan Via Contact Commission

Analysts believe that if the interim government can provide work opportunities and security for those who left the country, more prominent figures will return.

The Commission for Contact with Personalities has announced that since its inception, over 950 individuals, including former ministers, governors, and members of the previous government’s parliament, have returned to the country.

Ahmadullah Wasiq, the commission’s spokesperson, pledged that everyone who has returned through the commission has been provided with security cards, enabling them to resume their lives in full safety.

Wasiq told TOLOnews: “So far, 952 individuals have returned to the country through the Contact Commission and are living peacefully with their friends and relatives. Among them, 90 individuals had not left the country but held positions in the previous government, including members of parliament and council representatives.”

Some political analysts believe that if the interim government can provide work opportunities and security for those who left the country, more prominent figures will return.

Mohammad Matin Mohammadkhail, a military analyst, told TOLOnews: “When they are contacted and return to Afghanistan, there should be provisions for work opportunities and education for their children and families.”

The Commission for Contact with Personalities was established by a decree from the leader of the Islamic Emirate in April 2022. The commission’s task is to facilitate the return of political, military, cultural figures, and civilians who left the country during the collapse of the Republic.

952 Ex-Officials Return to Afghanistan Via Contact Commission
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Travel Ban Imposed on UN’s Richard Bennett by Islamic Emirate

Richard Bennett has consistently criticized what he described as human rights violations in Afghanistan in his reports.

In a recent development, the Islamic Emirate has officially prohibited Richard Bennett, the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, from entering the country.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, explained that the decision to impose a travel ban on Bennett stemmed from his alleged dissemination of propaganda against Afghanistan.

Mujahid further accused Richard Bennett of misrepresenting the realities on the ground in Afghanistan to the international community, providing what he described as inaccurate and misleading information.

“Mr. Bennett’s travel to Afghanistan has been prohibited because he was assigned to spread propaganda in Afghanistan. He is not someone we trust. He is not in Afghanistan, and he is no longer permitted to come here. He used to exaggerate minor issues and propagate them,” he said.

The UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan has consistently criticized what he described as human rights violations in Afghanistan in his reports.

However, the Islamic Emirate has consistently dismissed Richard Bennett’s criticisms as being far from the current realities in Afghanistan.

Fazal Rahman Oria, a political analyst, said: “Mr. Bennett failed to respect the legitimacy of the current government and violated the legal legitimacy of the current administration.”

Another political analyst, Moeen Gul Samkani, said: “We should engage in negotiations with the United Nations, not confront them, but the people and government of Afghanistan should not fear the realities and must defend them.”

The United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Richard Bennett as its Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan in April 2022, with the task of documenting human rights violations in the country.

Travel Ban Imposed on UN’s Richard Bennett by Islamic Emirate
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A shootout on Pakistan’s frontier with Afghanistan kills 5 militants and 3 Pakistani soldiers

Washington Post
By Associated Press

Pakistan’s military says security forces have killed five militants in a remote northwestern area on Monday when they tried to sneak in from neighboring Afghanistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Pakistani security forces killed five militants in a remote northwestern area on Monday when they tried to sneak in from neighboring Afghanistan, the military said.

Three soldiers were also killed in the exchange of fire in Bajur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistan has long urged Afghanistan to ensure effective border management. Islamabad often accuses Kabul of turning a blind eye to militants operating near the frontier, which the Afghan Taliban government denies.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in violence in recent years, mostly blamed on the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. The group is allied with the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

Many TTP leaders and fighters have found sanctuary in Afghanistan since then.

The military’s statement did not say whether the militants in Monday’s shootout were with the TTP.

A shootout on Pakistan’s frontier with Afghanistan kills 5 militants and 3 Pakistani soldiers
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‘I used to hide that I am a son of refugees – now I’m proud of it’

Shivani Chaudhari

BBC News, Essex
19 August 2024
Family photo Rustam, a young man sitting in a restaurant wearing a smart blue shirt and smiling at the camera.
Family photo
Rustam Wahab, 22, grew up in Essex and is the son of refugees from Afghanistan

Rustam Wahab is the proud son of refugees – but only a few people knew until recently.

His parents and older brother, who was two at the time, risked their lives in 2001 to flee war and persecution in Afghanistan and seek refuge in England.

Mr Wahab, 22, was in his mum’s stomach when she made the journey to England in the hope of finding a better life.

The family, who now live in London and Essex, were used to a comfortable lifestyle when they lived in central Kabul, but were catapulted into extreme poverty when they first arrived in the country.

Mr Wahab said: “The first time I told people that I was a son of refugees was a year ago, so it’s not been a long time.”

Mr Wahab said: “The earliest example I have of us being very poor as a result of being an asylum seeker was when me and my older brother went to school and it was a funfair day.

“We only had 50p [and] we didn’t have money to go on the bouncy castle.”

Mr Wahab said his older brother gave him the 50p as they did not have enough money for them both to have a go.

“One teacher saw and let us both go onto the bouncy castle, and stuff like that has stuck with me and my older brother.

“That’s the first time we had experienced the kindness of other people and them treating us with fairness and love.”

‘Middle class life’

Mr Wahab said his family used to live near the presidential palace in the Afghan capital, but their life had been destroyed due to the war and left his parents with no other choice but to risk everything and flee.

He said: “It was a middle class life, my dad worked from the age of 12, he helped out his dad while still going to school.

“My dad was a really, really hard worker and he still is now, to support his family right now he is working crazy hours.

“So the transition from middle class life to them being at the bottom of society – it was really difficult for my parents.

“Not only did they flee war and persecution, [but] then they came to the UK and went through poverty and being dirt poor and [not being able] to afford certain stuff.

“The people who come here illegally don’t want to come here, they have to come here and as soon as people realise that the whole narrative on asylum seekers coming here… will change.”

Mr Wahab is studying for a degree in philosophy, politics and economics at Southampton University. Alongside his studies he runs an Instagram page, on which he shares videos that give an insight into events taking place across the world to more than 700,000 followers.

Mr Wahab has recently focused on sharing informative videos that reference the riots that took place after disinformation was spread online about the circumstances of an attack in which three young girls were fatally stabbed in Southport.

Following the disorder that followed the incident, he said: “Of course, I have been subject to a little bit of racism and Islamophobia.

“But seeing that with my own eyes, a mass amount of people just rioting and attacking people of colour – it made me feel frightened, scared and unwelcomed.

“I really thought about immigrating to a different country because of it.”

Yet he added he found the counter-protests “heartwarming”.

Mr Wahab added: “It just goes to show that there is a small minority who share those racist, far-right views, but the majority of the country actually want us here.”

‘Worked hard’

However, growing up Mr Wahab said he had kept his family’s history a secret.

Hostility was rampant towards people of colour after 9/11 and Mr Wahab’s parents hoped to protect their children by telling them to hide who they were.

Mr Wahab said: “The first time I told people that I was a son of refugees was a year ago, so it’s not been a long time.”

He launched his Instagram page in 2019 and it started to grow quickly during 2020, but he felt his identity “was sort of like a secret”.

“I saw that the hate towards people of colour and refugees was getting so bad, that I thought I should share my story and the person running this account is actually a son of refugees.

“We’re just normal people, not a threat to anyone. We’re just here living the same as them, paying their taxes.”

“We sort of had to hide our identity up until maybe our teenage years, when we kind of got fed up of it and we didn’t want to hide who we were anymore.

“We used to say we were Pakistani or Turkish instead of saying we were Afghan.

“It was difficult really because my parents were always quite protective and a bit ashamed because of the connotations that come with [being a] refugee as well.”

But now he said: “I am pretty proud of it.”

“My parents have worked hard to give us good decent lives after they got their British status in 2007.”

Moving forward he said he hoped to finish his degree and and wants to pursue a career as an MP.

“I do want to be an MP, I do believe that to cause real change is through Parliament.”

‘I used to hide that I am a son of refugees – now I’m proud of it’
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Afghanistan’s Taliban sign $2.5B in trade, investment deals with Uzbekistan


Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, back row, left, and Taliban Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, back row, right, oversee the signing of Memorandums of Understanding in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 17, 2024.
Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, back row, left, and Taliban Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, back row, right, oversee the signing of Memorandums of Understanding in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 17, 2024.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan announced Saturday that it had finalized trade and investment deals worth $2.5 billion with the prime minister of neighboring Uzbekistan during his historic visit to Kabul.

Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and his delegation arrived in the Afghan capital on the highest-level visit by a foreign leader to the country since the Islamist Taliban regained control three years ago. Aripov was accompanied by Laziz Kudratov, the minister of investment, industry, and trade, among other senior officials.

Aripov and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy Taliban prime minister for economic affairs, oversaw the signing of “35 MoUs (memorandums of understanding) valued at $2.5 billion.” The ceremony occurred after the two leaders inaugurated an exhibition of Uzbek products in Kabul.

“The MoUs include 12 investment agreements valued at $1.4 billion and 23 trade agreements worth $1.1 billion,” Baradar’s office said in a statement. The documents covered agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing sectors.

“This landmark signing is a testament to the strong political will and commitment of the leadership in both Afghanistan and Uzbekistan to deepen economic integration in the region,” Taliban-run Afghan state media quoted Baradar as saying. “We are confident that these agreements will create new avenues for investment, trade, and job creation, benefiting the people of both our nations,” he added.

Afghan media quoted Uzbek minister Kudratov as saying that the two countries are working together to increase the annual bilateral trade to $3 billion.

Afghanistan shares a 144-kilometer (89.4 miles) border with Uzbekistan, and both sides have reported a steady improvement in bilateral political, security, and economic cooperation since the Taliban takeover.

The fundamentalist group swept back to power in Kabul in August 2021 as the United States and NATO troops withdrew from the country after 20 years of war with the then-insurgent Taliban.

No country has formally recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, and international development assistance to the impoverished country remains suspended.

Terrorism-related global sanctions on many top Taliban leaders, isolation of their administration, and termination of foreign development aid have made it difficult for the de facto Afghan government to tackle the country’s deepening economic troubles.

The World Bank reported in April that the aftermath of the Taliban takeover had seen a stark decline in international aid, leaving Afghanistan without any internal growth engines and leading to “a staggering 26% contraction in real GDP.”

However, the Taliban’s policies, in line with their strict interpretation of Islamic law, have troubled the world because they have barred Afghan girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and many women from public and private sector employment.

The Taliban reject criticism of their government as interference in internal matters of Afghanistan, saying their policies are aligned with local culture and Islam.

Afghanistan’s Taliban sign $2.5B in trade, investment deals with Uzbekistan
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Pakistan deports over 32,000 Afghan refugees in past month

Pakistan has deported over 32,000 Afghan migrants in the past month, bringing the total number of Afghans expelled since October of last year to 691,000.

According to Pakistani media, between Sunday, July 21, and Saturday, August 16, a total of 11,054 children, 9,320 women, and 11,826 men were deported from the country.

These migrants were sent back to Afghanistan in 674 vehicles.

Pakistani authorities have stated that the deportation of Afghans without valid residency documents will continue.

The deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan began in October 2023, and despite widespread criticism, the process is ongoing.

The forced deportation of Afghan refugees comes at a time when Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. The country is grappling with widespread poverty, food shortages, and a lack of basic services, making it extremely difficult for the returning refugees to survive.

International organizations have expressed deep concern over Pakistan’s deportation program, highlighting that the refugees are being sent back to a country where their safety and well-being are at significant risk.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan raises serious ethical questions about the forced return of vulnerable populations.

Pakistan deports over 32,000 Afghan refugees in past month
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