Islamic Republic of Iran as a close neighbor has many lingual, religious and cultural commonalties with Afghanistan. USSR invasion, civil war and brutalities of Taliban regime caused millions of Afghans to escape their country. As a result, millions of them migrated to Iran and Pakistan. Thousands of Afghans refugees returned to their homeland after the ouster of Taliban government. However, there are still more than 1 million Afghans living in Pakistan and another 0.7 million living in Iran. In past thirteen years, despite significant developments, Afghanistan is still not secure place for its citizens. That is the mean reason hindering the process Afghans’ repatriation.   

Particularly speaking, the condition facing Afghan refugees in Iran has always been concerning. Afghans arrested because of criminal activities are given death penalties without any proper trials and most of the times even their dead bodies are not handed over the Afghan government and the concerned families. Incidents where Iranian border security forces have mercilessly opened fire at Afghans who try to cross into Iranian territory are not rare. Meanwhile, Afghans living in that country face numerous social and educational problems that have continued since long. Such treatment of refugees is against international laws and regulations.

Now Iranian authorities have moved one step forward in making life harder for Afghans living in that country. Based on an earlier report, the Islamic Republic is sending Afghan refugees to Syria for defending the government Bashar al-Assad in return of Iranian citizenship and some hundreds of dollars. However, according latest information, Iranian officials have left Afghan refugees with only two options: ‘Either go to Syria or you will be deported to your own country.’

This is alarming. Afghans who have escaped war in their own country are sent to another war which is absolutely unrelated to them. Iranian government has tried to hide the issues from media and Afghan authorities. According to anecdotal evidences, scores of Afghan fighters sent to Syria have been killed or injured over the past one year.

The Afghan government has been sleeping like a log on the issue. Neither the President’s Office nor Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared its instance. This is regretful for a government that blows the trumpet of safeguarding life and interest of its people. Sending of Afghans to Syria by Iranian government is an absolutely serious issue and the Afghan government must take immediate measures to stop this horrible process.