Nearly 8 million Afghans have migrated since 2020: IOM

Since 2020, nearly 8 million Afghans have migrated, with 85 percent moving to neighbouring countries, predominantly Iran, and almost one million heading to Europe, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

IOM said in a statement that approximately 70 percent of Afghans migrating to Iran cited the lack of job opportunities as the main factor driving their migration.

It said that since the Islamic Emirate came to power in August 2021, Afghanistan has experienced significant economic contraction and a rise in poverty levels.  As of early 2024, over half of Afghanistan’s population is living in poverty, with nearly 36 percent unable to afford sufficient food, the statement said citing World Bank.

The organization also noted that the number of returnees from Iran remains consistently high. In 2023, IOM registered nearly 1 million returns, with 70 percent being undocumented and 60 percent forcibly returned.

IOM said that many Afghans migrate through unofficial routes due to difficulties in obtaining passports and visas, often paying smugglers to cross informal borders. 

Smugglers, seeking to maximize their profits, often overload these vehicles, putting the lives of migrants at grave risk, IOM said.

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