The Ministry of Migration Affairs of the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan announced that 49 Afghan migrants were deported from Tajikistan on May 28–29 for “unknown reasons.”
According to the ministry, the migrants were returned to Afghanistan on May 31 via the Sherkhan border crossing in Kunduz province.
The Taliban officials stated that 36 of the deported had residence permits in Tajikistan, while 13 held passports and visas. They emphasized that the reasons for the deportations remain unclear.
Tajik authorities have not released any statements regarding this case.
On April 21, the Afghan Young Journalists Center reported that Tajikistan deported nearly 50 Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan. These individuals, residing in the city of Vahdat, reportedly had refugee documents issued by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Most of them worked as taxi drivers in Vahdat.
The source explained that refugees were summoned to the Vahdat security department, where their documents were confiscated before they were transported to the border in two vehicles. Several others, who were detained while on the streets or markets, were also deported by Tajik security forces.
International organizations warn that deporting Afghans back to a country under Taliban control puts their lives at risk.
Previously, dozens of Afghan refugees were deported from Tajikistan for reasons that were publicly explained, such as having an unkempt beard, wearing foreign-style clothing, consuming alcohol, engaging in political discussions on social media, or generally violating residency rules.
The UNHCR has called on Tajik authorities to refrain from deporting Afghan migrants to a country where their lives may be in danger, urging them instead to consider resettlement to third countries or legal proceedings.
Unofficial estimates suggest that over 10,000 Afghan citizens currently reside in Tajikistan, primarily in the cities of Dushanbe and Vahdat, as well as in Roudaki district.
