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Reuters
08-07-2025
- General
- Reuters
A million more Afghans could be sent back from Iran, Red Cross warns
GENEVA, July 8 (Reuters) - The Red Cross said on Tuesday it is bracing for another 1 million people to be sent back from Iran to Afghanistan amid mass deportations that humanitarians say are placing a heavy strain on the aid system. 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)
Arab News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
A million more Afghans could be sent back from Iran, Red Cross warns
GENEVA: The Red Cross said on Tuesday it is bracing for another 1 million people to be sent back from Iran to Afghanistan amid mass deportations that humanitarians say are placing a heavy strain on the aid system. Over 1.2 million people have been returned to Afghanistan from Iran since the start of this year, according to data from the UN 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 busloads 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 destabilizing 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 percent funded, voicing concerns about whether it could maintain support for people. Babar Baloch, a spokesperson at the UN 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.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran deports 300,000 Afghans over Israel spying fears
Iran has deported more than 300,000 Afghan migrants over the last two weeks, Afghan authorities said. The exodus has been sparked by a national security drive in Tehran, which fears Afghans could be spying for Israel. Refugees described arbitrary arrests, detentions and widespread abuse by Iranian security forces, and said tensions spiralled after Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear sites and military leadership last month. 'Some chose to return voluntarily, but most were deported by Iran,' said Ahmadullah Muttaqi, the head of Afghanistan's information and culture department. Facing extreme high temperatures and a lack of basic facilities, humanitarian organisations have warned of an impending crisis at the Afghanistan-Iran border. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which assists the returnees, said that many Afghans were arriving with 'nothing but the clothes on their back' and 'in urgent need of food, support and medical care'. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and other groups are providing temporary aid, but they are not equipped to provide long-term support. Thousands of Afghans fled to Iran seeking refuge after the Taliban's return to power in 2021, and could face persecution on their return. Some female returnees said they were denied support by Taliban authorities as they were travelling without an adult male to accompany them. Iran is home to an estimated six million Afghans, many of whom are undocumented refugees following decades of conflict in their home country. Although Tehran was once a welcoming host, the regime in May ordered all those it said were there 'illegally' to leave by July 6 or face arrest. A young Afghan who lives in Tehran told The Telegraph that friends had been tortured by police over a spying allegation. 'Four of my friends were accused of spying and taken to a camp and severely tortured,' he told The Telegraph. 'They are innocent migrants. They were dragged from their flat, badly beaten, and one of them nearly died. 'I don't know about their whereabouts now.' Another said his father was arrested and tortured for several days, again on suspicion of espionage. 'He was kept without food and water, and later deported to Afghanistan. We are facing a grave situation here,' he said. Videos circulating on social media show Iranian security forces raiding sites in Tehran in which Afghan migrants worked. On June 20, police released footage of two Afghan men they claimed had confessed to spying on sensitive locations, including the state broadcaster's headquarters and a senior official's residence. Security forces also raided a factory in southern Tehran and detained several Afghans accused of assisting Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, in plotting drone attacks on air defence systems in Isfahan. 'We are called Israeli spies in the streets and markets,' said an Afghan migrant deportee. 'Conditions are harsh and our grievances are ignored.' Many deportees have told of systematic harassment and arbitrary arrests. 'Arrests of Afghans became widespread. Checkpoints sprang up everywhere. They pulled us off buses, accused us of being spies, and took us away for interrogation,' said one. Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, said hundreds of Afghans had been detained on espionage charges, and that the Iranian media was inciting hatred and using dehumanising language against Afghan communities. Fatemeh Mohajerani, an Iranian government spokesman, said last week: 'We've always striven to be good hosts, but national security is a priority, and naturally illegal nationals must return.' Between June 1 and July 5, nearly 450,000 Afghans returned from Iran, a spokesman for the IOM said on Monday, bringing the total for the year so far to more than 900,000. The IFRC said at the weekend that large groups of Afghans, including many children, were arriving via the Islam Qala border crossing, having endured 'exhaustion, hunger, and uncertainty on their journey home' in temperatures hovering over 43C.
Zawya
04-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
The Gambia: As malaria season begins, a life-saving infusion of medicine
On a hot and humid Thursday afternoon, the courtyard of The Gambia's Central Medical Store swarms with people. Despite the oppressive heat, dozens of people gather under a large tent. From time to time, clouds appear before dissipating, while the small puddles left by a light rainfall the day before remind everyone of the onset of the rainy season, a period known to bring a surge in malaria cases. Against this backdrop, the Gambian Red Cross Society (GRCS) officially handed over a vital consignment of anti-malarial medications to the Ministry of Health in support of the upcoming Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign. This life-saving donation is part of the 'Accelerating Malaria Elimination in The Gambia' project, funded by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). ' This delivery comes at the right time,' said Lamine Dampha, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health during the handover ceremony. ' The rainy season, commonly referred to as 'malaria season', has just begun. These medications will allow us to protect tens of thousands of people, especially children under five, who continue to bear the highest burden of malaria, across the country '. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Charles Businge, the IFRC's regional director for Africa emphasized that these medications come at a crucial time when global funding for malaria is declining. In this context, Ibou Fye Njie, secretary general of the GRCS, says these medicines take on even greater significance. ' Delivery of these medicines marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to achieve a malaria-free Gambia, while emphasizing that the project will finance the operational costs for the implementation of four SMC cycles during the 2025 malaria season in Kombo North District,' he said. Supporting a nationwide mosquito nets distribution campaign Valued at over USD 108,000 (excluding transport costs estimated at USD 35,000), the medications handover follows a large-scale mosquito net distribution campaign, conducted in partnership with the Senegalese authorities as part of a coordinated cross-border malaria control effort. More than 1.5 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets were distributed free of charge to households across The Gambia. Supporting this nationwide effort, 280 Red Cross volunteers were mobilized across all regions to raise awareness about malaria prevention. They went door-to-door educating families about the proper use of mosquito nets, provided information on where to collect them, and assisted Ministry of Health staff with registering beneficiaries. ' I'm very grateful to have received a mosquito net,' said a mother of three from the Central River Region. ' This year, I know my children and I will be protected from malaria.' Malaria: a major public health threat Malaria is one of the top ten causes of death in The Gambia, with the entire population of the country at risk of the disease. It also remains a leading cause of childhood mortality and morbidity in The Gambia, where under-five mortality rate remains high at 56 per 1,000 live births. Despite significant progress in recent years, global malaria funding is insufficient to sustain essential services for a growing population and addressing biological and non-biological threats. Speaking on behalf of His Excellency Liu Jin, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to The Gambia, Mr. Zhan Tong, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, reaffirmed China's commitment: ' We are confident that, with the strong support of the Chinese government and the international community, we will see tangible progress very soon,' he said. The 'Accelerating Malaria Elimination in The Gambia' project, launched in September 2024, will run through September 2026, with a total budget of USD 1,978,879. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Zawya
03-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Red Cross and Red Crescent network supports the African Union and its Member States' commitment to eliminate cholera by 2030
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), in collaboration with its African National Society members, fully supports the African Union (AU) and its member states in their efforts to eliminate cholera across the continent. Forged during a high-level meeting of AU member states in June, this new commitment centers on strengthening community-based health services and epidemic preparedness, working closely with local communities to achieve lasting solutions. The IFRC commends the leadership and united commitment demonstrated by the Heads of State, Government, and Delegations, who gathered in June under the AU's framework to advance a strong and coordinated response to the ongoing multi-country cholera outbreaks, which in 2025 are affecting approximately 20 Member States. The IFRC and its African National Society members, fully endorse the priorities outlined in the Call-to-Action to End Cholera and Achieve Elimination by 2030 with particular emphasis on: • strengthening national and regional preparedness, • scaling up investments in sustainable water, sanitation and health (WASH) infrastructure, • placing communities and civil society at the heart of cholera elimination agenda. A deep community presence As auxiliary partners to public authorities in the humanitarian field, Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies in Africa bring unique value through their deep community presence, trusted local networks, and mandate to complement government action. With operations in all AU Member States, the IFRC and its African National Society members are uniquely positioned to deliver localised, people-centred responses that translate policy commitments into life-saving action. Recognising the cross-cutting impacts of cholera on already strained health systems—the Red Cross Red Crescent Network has scaled up its efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks through high-impact, community-driven interventions such as: Community-based Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT): Delivered at the household level via Oral Rehydration Points (ORPs), ensuring timely access to lifesaving care. Emergency water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions: Implemented in affected households and surrounding areas to stop transmission. Support to Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) campaigns: Including community mobilization, social mobilization, and logistics assistance. Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE): Embedded across all pillars of response to promote behaviour change, drive surveillance, and enable early action. Cross-border collaboration facilitated to prevent, control and recover from cholera outbreaks at community level in collaboration with local authorities. In addition, the IFRC hosts the Country Support Platform (CSP), the operational arm of the Global Task Force on Cholera Control, which supports AU Member States in developing and implementing National Cholera Plans, accessing technical expertise, and mobilizing domestic and external resources. Aligned with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the Continental Framework for Cholera Elimination, IFRC is also investing in multi-hazard anticipatory action to prepare authorities, communities and other concerned stakeholders ahead of Cholera outbreaks. This is done in part through the development of Early Action Protocols, systems that trigger preparatory actions before a crisis hits. Such protocols empower African National Societies to act early by pre-positioning supplies, training volunteers, and accessing forecast-based financing enabling faster, more cost-effective responses before outbreaks escalate. With more than 3.8 million trained volunteers across Africa and a presence in every community, the Red Cross Red Crescent Network is well-positioned to bring life-saving interventions to those most at risk before, during and after outbreaks. Together, we can eliminate Cholera Cholera is preventable, and together, we can eliminate it. Our volunteers are trusted members of the communities they serve. Through early action, health education, and emergency interventions, we are proud to contribute to this continental ambition to eliminate cholera and protect lives. Through these efforts, the IFRC and African National Societies reaffirm their unwavering commitment to support AU Member States in achieving national and continental targets for cholera control and elimination. The IFRC is dedicated to working hand-in-hand with the African Union Commission, Africa CDC, Member States, and other partners to build resilient health systems, empower communities, and end cholera as a threat to public health and development across the continent. Together, we can defeat cholera and ensure that no one is left behind. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
