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Hundreds of Afghans mob Tehran embassy to avoid repatriation
Tehran, Aug 10: Hundreds of Afghans mobbed their embassy in Tehran today seeking its protection from a wave of refugee repatriations being carried out by the Iranian authorities, many of them by force.
Tehran, Aug 10: Hundreds of Afghans mobbed their embassy in Tehran today seeking its protection from a wave of refugee repatriations being carried out by the Iranian authorities, many of them by force.
Soldiers surrounded the large crowd, few of whom were able to gain access to the embassy building, witnesses said. "We want an identity paper allowing us to stay in Iran, and to continue to work," an Afghan labourer said, requesting anonymity.
More than 122,000 Afghan refugees have returned home since the fall of the Taliban under a voluntary repatriation programme organized by the United Nations. But the UN high commissioner for refugees expressed concern last month that Iran had forcibly returned more than 16,000 more since March.
The UNHCR yesterday announced that it had secured Iran's agreement to give its staff access to detention centres around the country where Afghans are held pending deportation.
Soldiers surrounded the large crowd, few of whom were able to gain access to the embassy building, witnesses said. "We want an identity paper allowing us to stay in Iran, and to continue to work," an Afghan labourer said, requesting anonymity.
More than 122,000 Afghan refugees have returned home since the fall of the Taliban under a voluntary repatriation programme organized by the United Nations. But the UN high commissioner for refugees expressed concern last month that Iran had forcibly returned more than 16,000 more since March.
The UNHCR yesterday announced that it had secured Iran's agreement to give its staff access to detention centres around the country where Afghans are held pending deportation.
Bureau Report