The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has announced that 25 Afghan citizens, who were detained in Iraq, have been released.
These citizens had been held for six months in Iraq due to a lack of legal documents. Following their release by the Afghan Embassy in Baghdad, they were returned to Afghanistan via Iran.
Abdul Matin Haqqani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, stated that after being registered at the Border Directorate of Nimroz province, these 25 individuals were referred to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for assistance.
The spokesperson said: “Twenty-five Afghans, who were detained in Iraq for not having legal documents, have been released through the efforts of the Afghan Embassy in Baghdad and returned to their homeland via Iran.”
Many Afghan citizens live as migrants, primarily in countries such as Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey. Previously, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation had reported that eleven thousand Afghan migrants were detained in Iran and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, some experts emphasize the need to address the challenges faced by Afghan migrants and citizens in neighboring and regional countries.
Juma Khan Poya, a migrant rights activist, told TOLOnews: “The current government in Afghanistan is legally obliged to address the challenges of migrants in different countries.”
Asifa Stanikzai, another migrant rights activist, stated: “There is an urgent need for the necessary cooperation in the cases of Afghans who are imprisoned in various countries to ensure their release.”
Earlier, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation had reported the release of 28 Afghan citizens from a Pakistani prison, stating that they had been detained in Pakistan due to a lack of legal documents and were returned to Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing.