Returning Afghan refugees say mistreated by Iranian forces

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A number of Afghan refugees, who arrived in western Herat province via Islam Qala port after being expelled from neighboring Iran, complain Iranian security forces mistreated and harassed them.

Syed Hussain, a resident of Kabul and one of the refugees returning from Iran, told Pajhwok Afghan News that he was doing construction work, but he was arrested by security forces in Iran and he was deported.

He added: “Iranian security forces treated us inhumanly and beat us."

Mustafa, another returnee from Iran, a resident of Takhar province, also claimed that the harassment of Afghan refugees in Iran had reached its peak and advised the Afghans to return to their country and live with dignity.

He urged the government to create jobs for unemployed people in order to put the immigration crisis to an end.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Qayoumi, an official of the Refugees and Repatriation Department, said that a total of 375, 881 people had returned to the country through Islam Qala this year.

He said that 73,000 deserving persons had been introduced to IOM and War and Child for assistance.

However, Maulvi Abdul Rahman Rashid, deputy minister of refugees and repatriation, during a visit to Herat province said the Islamic Emirate had established security in the entire country and returning refugees return faced no problem in their daily life activities.

He said: “As winter is about to sets in, we ask neighboring countries hosting Afghan refugees to stop expelling refugees until the end of the winter so that the Islamic Emirate can make necessary preparations in this regard.”

sa/ma