Iran shows 500,000 Afghans after conflict with Israel in 16 days

Iran shows 500,000 Afghans after conflict with Israel in 16 days

More than half a million Afghans have been deported from Iran in the 16 days since the end of the conflict with Israel, according to the United Nations. This could represent one of the greatest forced population movements in this decade.

The background of the deportations

For months, Tehran has intended to show the millions of undocumented Afghans who perform low -wages in Iran. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that between June 24th and July 9th a total of 508,426 Afghans left Iran across the border with Afghanistan.

numbers and current developments

refugee conditions at the border

The conditions for the returnees are extremely challenging. Temperatures often reach up to 40 degrees Celsius, and the collecting centers on the Afghan border are under considerable pressure. Mihyung Park, head of the IOM mission, told CNN: "They are thousands of people in the sun-and they know how hot it can be in Herat. The situation is really urgent.

experiences of returnees

Bashir, a young man in the twenties, reported that he was arrested by the police in Tehran and brought to a recording camp. "At first they took Übel $ 10 million (about 200 dollars), then I was brought to prison for two nights and had to pay another $ 2 million ($ 50). We didn't get any food or drinkable water there. There were about 200 people there and we were beaten and abused," he said.

The crisis from the perspective of children

The 11-year-old Parisa, who was waiting with her parents, reported that she could not go to school this year. "We spent six years in Iran for six years before they told us that we should submit the application to leave and leave Iran immediately," she said. Among the Taliban, the educational opportunities for girls in Afghanistan are severely restricted.

international reactions and criticism

The abrupt deportations and the allegations of spying by Afghan have led to sharp criticism internationally. Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur of the UN for Afghanistan, published an explanation at the weekend in which he pointed out to have committed spy on the hundreds of Afghans and members of ethnic and religious minorities that are arrested in Iran. He also reported discrimination calls in the media, which used Afghans and minorities called traitors.

state explanations and media reporting

The Iranian government justified the deportations with the argument that "national security is a priority" and must be sent back illegally into the country. In addition, in state media, images of an alleged Afghan “spy” were broadcast for Israel, who claimed to have provided information for another Afghan in Germany. However, these reports were not sufficiently documented.

The media also showed pictures that the Tehran police show when arresting migrants, most of whom are Afghans. Suspects are removed on buses, often under compulsion and an unknown goal.

In summary it becomes clear that the current events in Iran have an impact on hundreds of Afghans who are forced to leave their homeland while the international reactions are growing on this humanitarian crisis.