Afghan refugees
Afghan refugees are citizens of Afghanistan who were forced to flee from their country as a result the continuous wars that the country has suffered since the Afghan-Soviet war, the Afghan civil war, the Afghanistan war (2001–2021) or either political or religious persecution. The 1978 Saur Revolution, followed by the 1979 Soviet invasion, marked the first major wave of internal displacement and international migration to neighboring Iran and Pakistan; smaller numbers also went to India[1] or to countries of the former Soviet Union. Between 1979 and 1992, more than 20% of Afghanistan's population fled the country as refugees.[2] Following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, many returned to Afghanistan,[3] however many Afghans were again forced to flee during the civil war in the 90s. Over 6 million Afghan refugees were residing in Iran and Pakistan by 2000.[4] Most refugees returned to Afghanistan following the 2001 United States invasion and overthrow of the Taliban regime.[5][6][7] Between 2002 and 2012, 5.7 million refugees returned to Afghanistan, increasing the country's population by 25%.[8]
Afghanistan is one of the largest refugee-producing countries in the world.[9] A total of 6.3 million Afghan refugees were allocated in Pakistan and Iran in 1990.[10] It is considered to be amongst the 4 nations with the highest number of refugees. There are more than 8 million Afghans who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of violence, potential persecution, and poverty, which has created a diasporic population of more than 8.2 million Afghans across a total of 103 separate countries.[11] Of these 8.2 million refugees, just under 6 million are deemed to have been displaced as a result of the United States' War in Afghanistan.[12] Along with this, approximately 3.2 millions Afghan nationals have been driven from their homes and into the status of internally displaced person (IDP).[11]
Some countries that were part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) established special programs to allow thousands of Afghans to resettle in North America or Europe.[13][14][15][16][17] As stateless refugees or asylum seekers, they are protected by the well-established non-refoulement principle and the U.N. Convention Against Torture. They receive the maximum government benefits and protections in countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[18][19] For example, those that receive green cards under 8 U.S.C. § 1159 can immediately become "non-citizen nationals of the United States" pursuant to , without needing to meet the requirements of .[20] This allows them to travel with distinct United States passports.[21] Australia provides a similar benefit to admitted refugees.
Internal displacement[edit]
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), there are over five million internally displaced people in Afghanistan as of late 2021.[7] Military actions and violence by the warring factions usually play a major part in the displacement, although there are also reasons of major natural disasters.[22] The Soviet invasion caused approximately 2 million Afghans to be internally displaced, mostly from rural areas into urban areas.[22] The Afghan Civil War (1992–1996) caused a new wave of internal displacement, with many citizens moving to northern areas in order to avoid the Taliban totalitarianism.[22] Afghanistan has long suffered from insecurity and conflict, which has led to an increase in internal displacement.[23][24]
As shown in the chart below, Afghan refugees were admitted to other countries during the following periods: