A million more Afghans could be sent back from Iran, Red Cross warns
Over 1.2 million people have been returned to Afghanistan from Iran since the start of this year, according to data from the U.N. refugee agency, with the number of returns surging since Iran and Israel launched strikes on each other last month.
Sami Fakhouri, Head of Delegation for Afghanistan at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said he witnessed bus loads of people returning to a border crossing at the Islam Qala border in Herat province in recent days.
"(We) are anticipating that an additional one million people, possibly more, may return from Iran to Afghanistan by the end of this year," he told reporters at a Geneva press briefing, voicing concern about their futures with many having left their home country years ago and were now homeless.
"The majority didn't have a say in coming back. They were put on buses and driven to the border," he said.
Afghanistan is already battling a humanitarian crisis and aid groups worry that the new arrivals from Iran - on top of hundreds of thousands pressured to return from Pakistan - risks further destabilising the country.
Fakhouri said the IFRC appeal for 25 million Swiss francs ($31.40 million) to help returning Afghans at the border and in transit camps is only 10% funded, voicing concerns about whether it could maintain support for people.
Babar Baloch, a spokesperson at the U.N. refugee agency, said tens of thousands were arriving from Iran daily with over 50,000 crossing on July 4.
He also voiced concerns about family separations.
"The psychological scars are going to stay with Afghans who have been made to come back to the country in this way,' he said at the same press briefing.
($1 = 0.7963 Swiss francs)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking final words of young girl trapped in mudflow for 60 hours
'Mummy, I love you very much'. These were the devastating last words of 13-year-old Omayra Sanchez, who died a slow and agonising death while the world watched from their television screens. For nearly three days, the school girl remained trapped in the wreckage of her family home after Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted on November 13, 1985 - unleashing a wall of mud that wiped the entire town of Armero off the map. The teen spent 60 hours trapped from the waist down under the cement-like lahar, while emergency services worked tirelessly to free her. But her tragic plight quickly captivated the world, after Red Cross rescue workers were forced to give up their efforts to help her when it became apparent that they would not be able to give her life saving care. Rescuers, photographers and journalists spent Omayra's final moments with her, taking it in turns to comfort her and keep her company, bringing her fizzy drinks and sweets. The tragedy was heavily documented, with harrowing videos and images of Omayra reaching households across the world. Her last words are believed to have been caught on camera, after Colombian broadcaster RCN aired a video of Omayra showing her with bloodshot eyes as she remained submerged in the muddy water. Addressing her mother, a nurse who had travelled to the capital Bogota for work before the disaster unfolded, Omayra said: 'Pray so that I can walk, and for these people to help me. 'Mummy, I love you very much, daddy I love you, my brother, I love you'. After 60 hours, Omayra's hands went white and her eyes turned black, and not long after, she died. On her third and final day, rescue workers say Omayra began to hallucinate, telling bystanders she was worried about being being late for her maths exam. She also told those keeping her company to go home so that they could rest. After her death, it was found that her aunt's arms were tangled around Omayra's legs. But it was one particular image of Omayra, holding onto life as rescuers tried to free her body from the mud, that became emblematic of the tragedy and continued to capture the world's attention in the days after the disaster. French photo-journalist Frank Fournier captured her final moments in a heartbreaking photograph, which went on to win the World Press Photo of the year in 1986. Fournier received backlash from public, with several questioning why he didn't help Omayra as she took her last breaths. But in an interview with the BBC, the French photographer spoke about how it was impossible to save her and defended his decision to take pictures of her before her death. 'There was an outcry - debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture. But I felt the story was important for me to report and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it. 'I am very clear about what I do and how I do it, and I try to do my job with as much honesty and integrity as possible. I believe the photo helped raise money from around the world in aid and helped highlight the irresponsibility and lack of courage of the country's leaders.' 'There was an obvious lack of leadership. There were no evacuation plans, yet scientists had foreseen the catastrophic extent of the volcano's eruption. He also recalled her final moments, explaining how 'dawn was breaking and the poor girl was in pain and very confused. 'When I took the pictures I felt totally powerless in front of this little girl, who was facing death with courage and dignity. She could sense that her life was going.' Fournier added: 'People still find the picture disturbing. This highlights the lasting power of this little girl. I was lucky that I could act as a bridge to link people with her. It's the magic of the thing,' Speaking about Omayra, Fournier recalled that the girl was 'an incredible personality'. 'She spoke to the people trying to save her with utmost respect, telling them to go home and rest and then come back'. Omayra lived with her father, younger brother and aunt at the time of the tragedy, all of whom died instantly after being swallowed up by the deadly lahar. Her mother Maria Aleida Sanchez had travelled to Bogota to work as a nurse, who helplessly watched on from the capital as her daughter's state declined. Thirty years after her daughter's death, Maria spoke fondly of her daughter in a 2015 interview. 'Omayra loved studying. She was very special to me, and she adored her brother. She had her dolls, but she hung them on the wall. She didn't like playing with dolls and was dedicated to her studies'. The volcano, that overlooks the town of Armero in eastern Colombia, had been dormant for 69 years, and so residents and authorities didn't fret much about the possibility of an eruption, nicknaming it the 'sleeping lion'. Scientists had warned of a deadly eruption for months, but no response plan was put in place. When the Nevado del Ruiz erupted, it melted part of its snowcap, creating a 150-ft-high wall of mud that swept down the Lagunilla River. About 23,000 of Armero's estimated 28,000 residents died or went missing as the mudslide pulled trees from their roots and enveloped entire homes. Another 2,000 people were killed or disappeared on the opposite side of the volcano. It took relief workers 12 hours to reach Armero after the devastating eruption, which meant victims who had sustained serious injuries were already dead. The town, once known as 'the white city' was littered with fallen trees, human bodies and piles of debris. Armero has since remained a ghost town after its surviving inhabitants relocated to the nearing towns of Guayabal and Lerida. What is left of Armero are destroyed buildings, vehicles and cemeteries to commemorate the thousands of lives that were lost.
Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
Fire at Iran's Abadan refinery contained, one dead
DUBAI, July 19 (Reuters) - A fire broke out on Saturday at a unit of Iran's Abadan refinery, killing one employee, before being brought under control, the Iranian oil ministry's news agency reported. It said operations were unaffected. "According to initial technical probes, the cause of the fire was a leak in one of the pumps in Unit 70, and no evidence of sabotage or human intervention has been observed so far," SHANA said. Several workers suffered burns, and as many as three were in serious condition, Abadan governor Khosrow Pirhadi told state TV, adding that worn-out parts at the refinery may have caused the incident. Local news agencies carried videos showing large flames and plumes of dark smoke rising from part of the refinery, Iran's oldest crude processing facility. Abadan is in the southwestern Khuzestan province, currently among the hottest places in the world with temperatures close to 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). The refinery, like almost all Iranian oil and gas processing plants, needs major works and renovation after decades of international sanctions.
Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
Fire contained at Iran's Abadan refinery, one dead, SHANA says
DUBAI, July 19 (Reuters) - A fire that broke out on Saturday at a unit of Iran's Abadan refinery, killing one employee, has been brought under control, Iran's oil ministry's SHANA news agency reported. It said operations were unaffected. "According to initial technical probes, the cause of the fire was a leak in one of the pumps in Unit 70, and no evidence of sabotage or human intervention has been observed so far," Shana reported. State television said firefighters from Abadan and nearby areas had responded. Local new agencies earlier carried videos showing large flames and dark stacks of smoke rising from a segment of the refinery, Iran's oldest crude processing facility in the southwestern oil-rich Khuzestan Province, which is currently among one of the hottest places in the world. Temperatures are nearly 50 degrees Celsius (122°F). The refinery, like almost all Iranian oil and gas processing plants, needs major works and renovation.
