Despite repeated UN warnings about the growing humanitarian crisis triggered by the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan, the Taliban claim the situation isunder control.
Speaking during a meeting with the head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Kabul on Wednesday, Taliban Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi said the group is capable of managing the influx of returnees.
According to a statement issued by the Taliban, IOM Director General António Vitorino reiterated the organisation’s commitment to supporting returnees through education and employment initiatives. He also said the IOM is prepared to help address their humanitarian needs.
Hanafi acknowledged the mounting challenges but said the Taliban administration is working to provide job opportunities and basic services for those returning. He also urged host countries and international organisations to honour their obligations to Afghan migrants and step up support.
The meeting came a day after Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, held talks with the IOM’s chief of mission in Afghanistan. Kabir warned of the harsh conditions returnees may face during the approaching winter and appealed for urgent international assistance, particularly in providing shelter.
However, humanitarian agencies and rights groups have repeatedly criticised the Taliban for failing to adequately protect and support returnees. Critics argue the root causes of mass migration, including widespread unemployment, political repression, and severe restrictions on women’s rights, remain unresolved, making safe and voluntary return unfeasible.
Human Rights Watch has described Afghanistan as facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The situation has been exacerbated by the suspension of most international aid and the forced return of over 1.9 million migrants from Iran and Pakistan since the beginning of the year, according to recent UN data.
