KABUL/PESHAWAR: Taliban authorities say 202 Afghan families, 860 people in all, returned to Afghanistan on Monday through several border crossings, as the cold season raises concerns about shelter and basic supplies for returnees.
Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat gave the figures in a statement on Tuesday.
The largest share came through Nimruz province in the southwest, where 125 families (525 people) crossed. Another 44 families returned through Torkham, the main crossing between Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. Eight families crossed at Spin Boldak, which borders Pakistan’s Balochistan, and 25 more came through Islam Qala, on the western border with Iran.
The statement did not say which countries the families were returning from, or whether they left voluntarily or were deported.
Returns have continued for months, and the outlet reports that families coming back face growing hardship. Among the most pressing needs are food, health services, clean drinking water and adequate shelter. With winter approaching, those needs are expected to grow, especially in provinces with harsh cold.
The report comes as Afghanistan deals with other pressures. The UN officials have warned of serious challenges from drought and reduced aid funding.