KABUL - Over 4,000 Afghan refugee families returned back to their cities in the 9 north and northeastern province of Afghanistan since the beginning of 2012, said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman in the northern region, Fahim Hamdard on Tuesday.

The 4005 families (22194 individuals) have returned mainly from Iran and Pakistan which shows a double figure compared to 2011, he added.

UNHCR’s voluntary repatriation program supports the voluntary return of refugees by their own willingness, not by forced deportation. The agency claims that most of the returnee families have found jobs in the relatively secure cities in the north and northeast.

Some of those families complained about their ‘disturbing condition’ and scarcity of primary need for living, demanding government’s quick action to supply them mainly with tents and food.

Head of Balkh’s provincial department of refugees and repatriation Abdul Saboor Qaderi appealed to aid agencies and national business community for more humanitarian assistance to returnee families living in as he described ‘disturbing condition’.

Particular focus on preventing child mortality rate is one of his prioritized demands from international community.

According to UNHCR figures, there are 3 million Afghan refugees across the world, mainly in Iran and Pakistan.

Around 4.7 million Afghans have returned home in the past few years, 1 million of which have returned to nine north and northeastern provinces, the figures indicate.

Source: Radio Azadi