KABUL, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A total of 15,989 Afghan families with 146,152 members returned to their homeland from Iran, Pakistan and Türkiye over the past 18 days, Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said on Thursday.
The returnees entered Afghanistan through Islam Qala in western Herat province, Torkham in eastern Nangarhar province, Spin Boldak in southern Kandahar province, Pul-e-Abresham in western Nimroz province, as well as airports, the ministry said.
All returning families have received immediate assistance, including food, drinking water, healthcare services, and free transportation to their destinations, according to the statement.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that about 2.7 million Afghans have returned home from Iran, Pakistan, and other countries so far this year.
An estimated 6 million Afghan refugees, the majority of whom are undocumented, continue to live abroad, primarily in Iran and Pakistan. ■
