12.2007 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

30 percent of the population lives in cities, mainly concentrated in the cities of Kabul, Herat and Jalalabad; steady influx of returnees and IDPs ("UNHCR's Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Afghan Asylum-Seekers") [ID 22825]

"The estimated number of urban dwellers in Afghanistan is 6.4 million – 30 percent of the total population, mainly concentrated in the cities of Kabul, Herat and Jalalabad. Most cities are currently experiencing a steady influx of urban returnees and IDPs and by 2015, the number of urban residents in Afghanistan is expected to double, growing at a rate twice as high as the average growth rate in rural areas."

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03.05.2004 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

More than 1,000 internally displaced Afghans have returned to their home areas in seven central and northern Afghan provinces from south-eastern Khost province ("Displaced Afghans journey home from Khost province") [#21911],  [ID 2297]

"[...] The latest group of displaced persons to leave Khost set out in 20 trucks hired to take them back to Kabul, Takhar, Kapisa, Paktia and Baghlan provinces. The week before, another UNHCR/IOM convoy transported 459 persons back to their homes in Logar, Wardak and Laghman provinces.
[...]
Late last year, he went back to his village and saw that UNHCR had distributed shelter materials to several families, and that a new school was being built.

"I am optimistic for the future of my children," Najibullah said. "My wife and I are illiterate, but we want our children to go to school and have a better life."

Once he gets home, Najibullah said that he will apply to join the Afghan National Army. His family will stay with an uncle while they are rebuilding their home.

Before the convoys leave Khost, UN refugee agency workers meet with the Afghans to understand their motivations and to ensure that they know about the rehabilitation needs and the human rights situation in their home areas. The agency also wants to make sure that no one is being forced to return. Once the Afghans actually reach their homes, similar UNHCR teams will undertake monitoring visits to help ensure that their basic needs are met.[...]"

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03.12.2003 - Source: UN General Assembly

Conditions amenable to the return of refugees and internally displaced persons generally exist in the north, though in several districts adequate security conditions are still lacking ("Report of the Secretary General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security (A/58/616)") [#18064],  [ID 2298]

"40. The persecution and forced displacement of minority groups in the north and west, particularly of Pashtuns, led to the establishment in October 2002 of the Return Commission for the North. A recent mission to Faryab, Samangan, Balkh, Jowzjan and Sar-i-Pul provinces by the Return Commission Working Group determined that conditions amenable to the return of refugees and internally displaced persons generally exist in the region, though in several districts adequate security conditions are still lacking. Understandably, many internally displaced persons in the south indicated their unwillingness to return to their areas of origin in the north unless security can be guaranteed, impunity for commanders ended and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration implemented."

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09.2003 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Erfolgreiche Rückkehr von Binnenvertriebenen; für dauerhafte Wiederansiedelung ist jedoch weiterhin in den Rückkehrergebieten sehr viel Entwicklungs- und humanitäre Hilfe nötig ("Aktualisierte Darstellung der Lage in Afghanistan") [#47150],  [ID 2299]

"Viele Binnenvertriebene konnten an ihre früheren Wohnorte zurückkehren. Bemühungen, die Rückkehr von Menschen, die vor der Dürre geflohen sind, zu erleichtern, werden gegenwärtig in organisationsübergreifender Arbeit fortgesetzt. Von den mehr als 1,2 Millionen Binnenvertriebenen zu Beginn des Jahres sind schätzungsweise 600.000 entweder spontan oder organisiert zurückgekehrt. Die minimale Gegenbewegung aus den Rückkehrergebieten in die Flüchtlingslager in den Wintermonaten zeugt vom Erfolg der Rückführungseinsätze. Obwohl die Integration für zurückkehrende Binnenvertriebene zu Beginn sehr schwierig ist, so ist der erste Schritt getan, den Kreislauf der Binnenvertreibung zu unterbrechen. Damit diese Entwicklung von Dauer ist, muss jedoch in den Rückkehrergebieten noch sehr viel mehr Entwicklungs- und humanitäre Hilfe geleistet werden. UNHCR wird im Jahr 2003 die freiwillige Rückkehr für verbliebene Binnenvertriebene weiterhin fördern, wenn dies als angemessene Lösung erscheint."

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23.07.2003 - Source: UN General Assembly

300,000 internally displaced persons still living in camps and settlements ("Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security A/57/850–S/2003/754") [#14760],  [ID 2300]

"47. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) provided 30,000 internally displaced persons with assistance in returning to their places of origin. However, the lingering effects of drought and ongoing security threats prevented the 300,000 internally displaced persons still living in camps and settlements from returning. The majority of these individuals are in Helmand and Kandahar."

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13.05.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

28 displaced families staying in IDP camps in Herat returned to their homes in the northeastern Kunduz and Takhar provinces ("IOM press briefing notes 13 May 2003: Iraq, West Africa, Afghanistan (IOM)") [#12693],  [ID 2301]

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15.04.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

The return of some 774 IDPs to the northern province of Faryab delayed due to fighting between rival factions of the National Islamic Movement and Islamic Society in Meymaneh ("IOM delays IDP returns due to fighting") [#12072],  [ID 2302]

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11.04.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

1,039 internally displaced persons returned from Herat to Badghis province ("IOM Amman press briefing notes 11 Apr 2003: Afghanistan, Iraq (IOM)") [#12016],  [ID 2303]

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30.03.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

Kabul: some 100 internally displaced people returning to their homes in Badakhshan, northern Afghanistan ("Press briefing by Manoel de Almeida e Silva (UNAMA)") [#11649],  [ID 2304]

"Some 100 internally displaced people (24 families) departed this morning from Kabul to their homes in Badakhshan, northern Afghanistan. These families were squatting in the Khushal Khan High School building in district 7. Early this morning, they boarded onto trucks and buses and embarked on a four-day journey back home escorted by IOM.

This is a first assisted return of IDPs occupying public buildings in the Kabul city. These Tajik families had left their village in the Kishim district of Badakhshan between 6 and 15 years ago due to flood and other hardships. They took refuge in Pakistan, but returned to Afghanistan early last year, before the start our repatriation operation, as they claim they were afraid of reprisals in Pakistan -- you might recall that around the time of the fall of the Taliban, many Taliban were killed including Pakistanis. But as they heard their villages had been destroyed, they took refuge in the school building in Kabul.

UNHCR was contacted by the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, which was concerned also about the occupation of the school building at the start of the school year. Our staff had subsequently verified their intention to return and arranged with IOM to assist their return. Since their return to Afghanistan was spontaneous and did not benefit from our repatriation assistance, we exceptionally provided them with the return package of wheat flour, plastic sheeting and other aid items."

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24.03.2003 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Some 1,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) returned from displacement camps in the western Afghan city of Herat to the neighbouring northwestern province of Badghis ("Afghanistan: IOM steps up IDP returns from Herat") [#11595],  [ID 2305]

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