Over 7,000 Afghan refugees return home from Pakistan, Iran in a day

KABUL, June 25 A total of 1,685 Afghan families with 7,474 members returned to their homeland from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan, Afghanistan's High Commission for Addressing Returnees' Problems said on Wednesday.

The refugees have come home via the Torkham border, crossing in eastern Nangarhar province, the Spin Boldak border, crossing in southern Kandahar province, the Islam Qala border, crossing in western Herat province, and the Pul-e-Abresham border, crossing in western Nimroz province, it said.

The commission provides temporary shelters, nourishment, water, medical care, and transportation services to their respective provinces for the returnees.

Nearly 7 million Afghan refugees, most of whom are undocumented migrants, are currently living abroad, with most living in Iran and Pakistan.

The authorities of both countries have asked undocumented foreign nationals to end their illegal stay and return to their homes, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Taliban regime has been repeatedly calling upon Afghan refugees to end living abroad as refugees and return home to contribute to the rebuilding of their war-torn homeland.

Earlier on June 22, local media outlet Tolonews reported that around 10,000 Afghan refugees were leaving Iran daily to return to their homeland amid war and insecurity in the Middle Eastern country.

"Recently, due to war and insecurity in Iran, the return of refugees from the country has increased. Between 8,000 to 10,000 individuals are returning daily via the Islam Qala crossing point in western Herat province," the report quoted Abdul Rahim Rahmani, deputy director of Border Affairs for Returnees and Refugees at the Islam Qala crossing point, as saying.

Meanwhile, thousands of Afghan refugees -- probably between 2,000 to 3,000 individuals and around 300 families -- are also returning to their homeland via Nimroz province, according to local officials.

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