Turkish border forces detain 149 Afghan migrants near Iranian border: Report

On Saturday, November 6, Turkish border forces apprehended at least 149 Afghan migrants along its border with Iran, reported TOLO News adding that one person was detained on charges of migrant trafficking. Turkey has lately stepped up security measures in order to prevent a new influx of migrants. Meanwhile, Human rights groups have raised worry about the plight of Afghan migrants along the country's border. Following the Taliban's takeover of the country in August, Afghan migrants have faced severe problems along the borders of neighbouring, regional, and other countries.

"We call on regional as well as other countries - if you don't help us and the migrants, refrain from taking actions that are against international law," Lal Gul Lal, the chairman of the Afghanistan Human Rights Organization, was quoted as saying by the outlet. Farddin Fedayee, a civil rights activist, said it is unfortunate that regional countries have acted violently toward Afghan migrants. Meanwhile, Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, urged the international community to support Afghanistan so that people may overcome their economic issues. Earlier, a human rights group accused Turkish forces of beating Afghan migrants thus breaking the international law in regards to the migrants. 

'Potential Afghan refugee crisis might put the burden on Pakistan'

On October 19, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that a potential refugee crisis in Afghanistan will certainly raise the burden of refugees on Pakistan and other nations, putting a $500 million annual burden on Islamabad. It claimed that Pakistan will incur an additional load of $500 million per year, anticipating that around one million Afghans could flee the war-ravaged country for neighbouring countries such as Iran and Tajikistan. Meanwhile, Tajikistan and Iran will have to incur the annual burden of $100 million and $300 million respectively, reported news agency ANI citing Samaa TV.

Last month, a United Nations agency confirmed that thousands of people received humanitarian aid in Afghanistan from October 11 to 17. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in Afghanistan, at least 2,625 internally displaced individuals who had recently returned to their communities got household supplies. The agency stated that a total of 6,013 returnees in the northeastern region of the country got humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, in the provinces of Badakhshan, Kunduz, and Takhar, a total of 164,556 needy people received food assistance under the World Food Programme's (WFP) seasonal assistance, reported news agency Xinhua.

(With ANI inputs)

Image: AP