According to an IOM report, 85 percent of 8 million migrating Afghans have migrated to neighboring countries, particularly Iran, with around one million of them having gone to Europe.
‘Since 2020, nearly 8 million Afghans have migrated, with 85 per cent moving to neighboring countries, predominantly Iran, and almost one million heading to Europe,” the report reads.
According to IOM statistics, the rate of returns from Iran has also been high in recent years.
Based on this report, in 2023, the International Organization for Migration recorded nearly one million returns of asylum seekers, stating that 70 percent of them were undocumented and 60 percent were forcibly returned.
“The number of returnees from Iran remains consistently high. In 2023, IOM registered nearly 1 million returns, with 70 per cent being undocumented and 60 per cent forcibly returned,” the report added.
Close to 70 percent of migrants cited the lack of job opportunities as the main reason for their migration to neighboring countries, and they have stories of the challenges faced through illegal migration routes.
The International Organization for Migration has quoted some migrants as saying:
“They [smugglers] held us captive, beat us mercilessly with iron pipes, and pressured us to call our friends and families for more money,” said Jawed, a migrant from Nangarhar province.
Mirwais, an Afghan migrant who wanted to travel to Europe through smuggling, spoke about his challenges: “I urge the Afghan youth to not place their trust in smugglers promising safe passage. There are no shortcuts to a better life, and the dangers we face are often far greater than we can imagine.”
Children and women are among these migrants.