Introduction
The 2001 United States-led intervention in Afghanistan shifted the country from Taliban rule to an era of war and occupation, during which foreign governments, including the U.S., its allies, and international governing bodies such as the United Nations, seemingly focused on reconstruction and nation-building. This was, as we now know, a parenthesis that lasted two decades and a period during which conflict and insecurity continued. From the onset, the return of Afghan nationals – who had fled for protection abroad – became an integral part of the U.S.-led state-building project. Afghans returning home became a national symbol of people ‘voting with their feet’ in favor of international intervention and the new Afghan administration under President Hamid Karzai. But what awaited those who returned ended up being drastically different from their expectations.
This paper reflects on the human cost of war through the prism of the return and failed reintegration of Afghan nationals between 2001-2021. Today, as governments in the region such as Pakistan force unregistered migrants to return to Afghanistan, it is essential to understand the repercussions of such policies. This paper calls for urgent international attention to the non-viability of foreign governments’ returning or considering returning Afghan migrants to Afghanistan under the current Taliban regime. It also highlights the need for funding to support Afghans’ mobility, and for funding to meet the basic human needs of Afghans in the country.
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