40,000 Afghan refugees cross into Herat in more than 2 months

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Iran deported about 40,000 Afghan refugees into western Herat province via Islam Qala port during the past two and a half months.

Sayed Hazrat Agha, commissar in Islam Qala port, told a press conference that since the beginning of this year, around 40,000 Afghan had crossed the border and entered the country from Iran.

He said currently about 3,000 people daily traveled to Iran legally and about 1,500 Afghans legally returned to their country.

However, he said daily 2,000 to 2,500 people crossed the border into Herat from Iran, mostly forcibly evicted.

Those returning to Afghanistan from Iran said the government should provide them with employment opportunities.

Khoda Rahim, a resident of Farah province who arrived in Herat two days ago through Islam Qala port, complained Iranian security forces mistreated Afghans and hundreds of them daily returned to their homeland via this port.

He said most Afghans go to Iran for work to support their families and they braved harassment at the hands of Iranian police.

Father of three children, Rahim has been working in Iran for several years.

sa/ma