Tajikistan threatens to expel Afghan migrants within 15 days, sources say

DUSHANBE (Amu tv): Tajik authorities have reportedly begun detaining and forcibly deporting Afghan migrants, giving many just 15 days to leave the country, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Several Afghan residents in Tajikistan told Amu that the crackdown has intensified in recent days, with dozens of men—many of them the heads of households—detained without prior notice and returned to Afghanistan. The detentions have primarily occurred in Vahdat Township and Rudaki District, suburbs of the capital, Dushanbe.

One individual, speaking via voice message on condition of anonymity, said many of those targeted for deportation hold valid residency documents. According to multiple sources, more than 13,000 Afghans currently reside in Tajikistan, many awaiting resettlement to Canada under third-country immigration programs.

A significant number of those facing expulsion are former Afghan government employees who fled to Tajikistan after the fall of the republic in August 2021, fearing persecution by the Taliban.

“This is happening without warning or communication with families,” one source said, adding that detentions are taking place at workplaces and in residential areas.

The reported expulsions come amid rising pressure on Afghan migrants across the region. Iran and Pakistan have already conducted mass deportations, expelling thousands each day, despite ongoing international concern over the risks faced by returnees.

Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest sources of refugees. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, more than six million Afghans are currently displaced worldwide—most of them in Iran and Pakistan.

Human rights advocates warn that forced returns pose serious risks, particularly for former government officials and individuals accused of opposing Taliban rule. Several reports have documented cases of detention, abuse, and even killings of returnees.

In one such incident, three residents from Panjshir Province told Amu that the Taliban arrested about 20 young men in June after they returned from Iran. The detainees were allegedly accused of links to anti-Taliban armed groups and were taken from Zamankor village in Anaba District.

Despite the risks, Tajikistan now appears to be joining neighboring states in accelerating deportations, raising alarm among Afghan exiles and international observers alike.