Nearly 5,000 Afghans expelled from Pakistan, Iran on Saturday  

KABUL (Pajhwok): Nearly 5,000 Afghan refugees were forcibly deported from neighboring Pakistan and Iran in a single day, an official said on Sunday.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), posted a report from the High Commission for Addressing Migrants’ Issues on his X account, indicating that 913 families — a total of 4,991 individuals — returned to Afghanistan on Saturday.

According to the report, the returnees entered the country through the Islam Qala crossing in Herat, Pul-i-Abresham in Nimroz, Spin Boldak in Kandahar, Bahramcha in Helmand, and the Torkham crossing in Nangarhar.

Fitrat added that 933 returning families (5,068 individuals) were transported to their respective home areas, while 754 families received humanitarian assistance. Telecommunication companies also distributed 771 SIM cards to the returnees.

He noted that on Thursday, an additional 10,043 Afghan refugees were forcibly deported from Iran and Pakistan.

hz/sa