Over 11,000 Afghan Refugees Return to Their Homeland Since April 9
The office announced that over 2,000 Afghans on Sunday had crossed into their country in buses and trucks at the Dogharoun frontier post in the northeastern province of Khorasan.
It added that the Afghans were mainly heading for Afghanistan's Western and central areas, IRNA reported.
"We are pleased that so many Afghans, including families, are opting to return home," said UNHCR Chief of Mission Philippe Lavanchy.
"As more and more Afghans are seeking UNHCR's repatriation package, we are now working with Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA) to speed up the operation and open additional facilities to cope with the rush," he said.
The new round of repatriation follows the visit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers to Iran during which he toured a refugee camp in Dogharoun border checkpoint in the northeastern Iranian province of Khorasan.
The UN commissioner arrived in Tehran on Saturday last week to follow up the implementation of a tripartite accord signed in Geneva on April 3 by Iran, Afghanistan and the UNHCR on the repatriation of Afghan refugees living in Iran according to which 400,000 Afghan refugees will head for home in the current year.
Iran has been sheltering more than two million Afghan refugees fleeing from civil wars and severe drought in Afghanistan over the past two decades.
Following U.S. attacks on Afghanistan, Iran set up two camps, Mile-46 and Makaki, on the Afghan side of its eastern borders to prevent a fresh influx of refugees into the country.
Dear Dr. Abbas Alaghebandian:
As in the previous years, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your cooperation in holding mourning ceremonies marking the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussain (AS). I also pray to Almighty Allah for your further success and prosperity in life.
With kindest regards,
Prayer Leader of Az-Zahra (SA) Mosque.