Over 20000 Afghan Migrants Deported From Iran In Single Day, Says Taliban

In a report published Wednesday, the British newspaper revealed that the killings began after a list containing details of approximately 19,000 UK-affiliated Afghans was leaked online in February 2022. While it remains unclear whether all the victims were on the leaked list, The Telegraph noted that the UK government has not released the names of those affected.

Citing two Taliban officials, the report said a special Taliban unit known as “Yarmok 60” was assigned to track down and detain individuals named on the list. The unit has reportedly carried out arrests and executions across several provinces.

Among the victims was Colonel Toor Jan, a former police commander in Helmand province, who was allegedly shot dead by Taliban fighters outside a mosque in June 2024. A month later, a former army officer was reportedly killed in Khost province.

Other victims include Muzamil Nejrabi, a military officer shot in July 2022 in Kapisa province, who later died while being transported to hospital, and former police commander Hayatullah Nizami, whose bloodied body was discovered near a Taliban base in Takhar province in February 2024. Nizami had disappeared the night before and had been working for a municipal contractor in Taloqan following the fall of Kabul.

Helmand province, where Colonel Jan served, was the main base for British forces during the NATO mission in Afghanistan and the site of prolonged fighting between UK troops and the Taliban.

While the Taliban has repeatedly denied targeting former security personnel, independent investigations have contradicted these claims. A 2021 investigation by The New York Times found that at least 500 former Afghan military and government officials had been killed or had disappeared within the first six months of Taliban rule. The report described how some individuals were misled by the Taliban’s so-called amnesty letters, only to later be detained, tortured, or executed.

Taliban officials have at times blamed rogue fighters for the abuses, but The New York Times concluded that the killings were systematic and deliberate.

Human Rights Watch has also documented more than 100 cases of killings and enforced disappearances of former security personnel in just four of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, further raising alarm over the scale of the crackdown.

On Wednesday, UK Defence Secretary John Healey acknowledged the potentially fatal consequences of the 2022 data leak and confirmed that the government could not rule out harm to former Afghan allies. The leak, which the Ministry of Defence attributed to an error by an unnamed employee, has triggered serious concerns over the safety of those left behind.

In response to the breach, the British government has committed approximately £7 billion to mitigate the fallout, including launching relocation efforts for thousands of affected Afghans.

In an interview with Shamshad TV on Wednesday, Nazari condemned what he described as “insults, humiliation, disrespect, and rising anti-Afghan sentiment” in Iran. He said the forced deportations, along with reported harassment and mistreatment, constitute clear violations of international law.

Nazari called on Iranian authorities to halt such practices and to respect the human dignity of Afghan nationals residing in the country. He argued that Afghan migrants deserve the same rights and protections that Iranian citizens enjoy in countries such as the United States and Canada.

He further noted that while many Afghans fled to Iran due to war and insecurity, Iranians who migrate to Western countries often do so in pursuit of economic opportunities, and yet are afforded protection under the law. He questioned the disparity, particularly as Iran frequently refers to such Western nations as “un-Islamic.”

Nazari emphasised that no country, under Islamic, humanitarian, or international legal principles, has the right to subject migrants to degrading treatment.

Referring to the longstanding cultural and historical ties between the two nations, Nazari said that violations of migrant rights, including property confiscation, withheld rental deposits, unpaid wages, and rising hostility, undermine bilateral relations and fuel public anger in Afghanistan.

He stressed that good-neighbourly relations require Iran to end such behaviour and uphold the dignity of migrants.

His comments follow earlier remarks by the Taliban’s acting prime minister, Hasan Akhund, who urged Iranian officials to deport individuals with dignity and in accordance with the principles of gradualism and good neighbourliness. Akhund warned that humiliating treatment only fuels resentment and animosity between the peoples of the two countries.

In recent weeks, Iran has deported hundreds of thousands of Afghan migrants in a wave of mass expulsions that observers have described as unprecedented in scale. The actions have drawn criticism both domestically and internationally.

According to the report, this figure marks a 31.1 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Tajik media, citing the agency, stated that nearly 80 percent of the total trade turnover, around USD 32 million, consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Afghanistan.

The main exports from Tajikistan to Afghanistan include electricity, construction materials, cement, coal, mineral fertilisers, and food products.

Imports from Afghanistan were reported at approximately USD 8 million, consisting primarily of agricultural products such as figs, raisins, and cotton. Afghanistan also exports carpets, precious, and semi-precious stones to the Tajik market.

The student, identified as Sara Gowhari, a sociology major, was reportedly detained on 6 July by agents of the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Intelligence at the Taybad border crossing, where she had travelled to conduct independent research on migration issues.

Hengaw stated that Gowhari remains in custody without access to legal representation or contact with her family, ten days after her arrest. Her current condition and whereabouts are unknown, despite repeated inquiries by her relatives.

The rights group further alleged that Iranian authorities detained Gowhari without presenting a judicial warrant, raising concerns over due process and the treatment of foreign nationals involved in academic or civil society activities.

No official comment has been made by Iranian authorities regarding the arrest.

Majid Ahmadi, Director General for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs in Fars Province, confirmed the development, stating that those in possession of legal documentation such as Amayesh cards or valid passports will be allowed to exit the camps.

Ahmadi described the initiative as part of the most comprehensive migrant management plan implemented to date. He reported that nearly 42,000 undocumented foreign nationals have so far been deported from Fars Province to border areas, with over 99 percent identified as Afghan citizens.

In addition, Iranian authorities are working on a new employment regulation framework known as the “Kafeel” (Sponsor) scheme. The programme aims to formalise the employment status of foreign nationals residing in the country.

Ahmadi warned that hiring undocumented migrants constitutes a legal offence. He stressed that employers who violate the law will face legal consequences as part of the government’s enforcement measures.