IOM expresses concern over millions of displaced people in Afghanistan – South Asia Time

IOM expresses concern over millions of displaced people in Afghanistan

 January 5, 2022  

GENEVA — The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Monday raised the alarm over millions of displaced Afghans post the Taliban takeover.

As per IOM, there are “664,000 newly displaced by conflict in 2021,” reported Tolo News.

“There are now an estimated 5.5 million Internally Displaced Persons in Afghanistan (IDPs), including those living in protracted situations, and 664,000 newly displaced by conflict in 2021,” IOM said. “This is in addition to more than 924,744 undocumented Afghan returnees who returned from Iran and Pakistan between 1 January and the end of September, and the more than 2.2. million refugees and 3.5 million undocumented Afghan nationals already in neighbouring countries, primarily Iran and Pakistan,” added IOM.

Afghanistan is going through a severe humanitarian crisis, and many countries and humanitarian organizations have voiced their concerns, reported Tolo News. The situation turned volatile in the aftermath of dried funds from the international community after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in mid-August.

Narmi, a mother of five children, living in Kabul is one of hundreds of thousands of displaced Afghans who are struggling with difficult conditions. “Life is passing. The government didn’t help me. We don’t have food at home,” she said. “We have left our homes due to war and poverty. I am working to find food,” said Mohammad Afzal, a displaced person.

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said it has been trying to gain more humanitarian assistance from international donors to support the displaced people, reported Tolo News. A former media officer for a UN office in Afghanistan, Naseer Ahmad Haidarzai, said, “We are in a condition that both the international organizations and the Afghan government are incapable of solving.” (ANI)