According to United Nations statistics released by its office in Kabul, more than 1,1 million people returned from Iran, 80,500 from Pakistan and 100,000 entered the country by air.

This year, IOM response teams recorded more than 1,2 million undocumented migrants who have returned to Afghanistan through four border crossings with Pakistan and Iran, and another 100,000 who have arrived through Kabul airport, the report said.

According to the document, of the approximately 80,500 people who returned from Pakistan, most indicated that they did so due to the struggle for sustainable income and Pakistan’s policies on expelling undocumented migrants.

On the other hand, deportees from other countries have complained of mistreatment of undocumented immigrants by host nations.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on International Migrants Day (December 18) to reflect on challenges such as prejudice, discrimination, violence, exploitation and the unimaginable cruelty of human trafficking faced by migrants.

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