More Than 7 Million Afghan Refugees Are Living Abroad: Official

More than seven million Afghan refugees are living outside the country, said Afghan Minister of Refugees and Repatriation on Tuesday.

“On this basis, addressing the immigrant’s problems is the top priority of National Unity Government (NUG). Nearly one million Afghans are displaced in the country,” said Sayeed Hussain Alemi Balkhi, Minister of Refugees and Repatriation.

First Deputy Muhammad Khan said, “The main reason for immigration is war and the government is obliged to prevent this issue.”

“Afghan refugees abandon the country based on two reasons; insecurity and oppression,” said Fazlulhadi Muslimyar, Chairman of the Senate House.

Afghanistan has one of the highest refugee populations in the world. Insecurity and unemployment are the main factors which compel Afghans to migrate to Europe.

Afghans represent the second largest group of migrants traversing the Mediterranean Sea, after Syrians. During 2015, approximately 180,000 Afghans applied for asylum within the European Union. Only about 1,000 Afghans now living in Germany have said they are willing to go back to Afghanistan.

According to the United Nations, in 2016, more civilians were killed or injured in Afghanistan than in any period since 2009.