News Center- The Tajik government issued Tuesday a 15-day ultimatum for Afghan refugees to leave the country. The decision has sparked fear among thousands of Afghan refugees who face the looming threat of deportation despite having residence permits.

According to local reports, Tajikistan has launched a campaign of arrest and forcible deportation of Afghan refugees; including those who have valid residence permits.

Currently, Tajikistan is host to some 13,000 Afghan asylum-seekers and refugees.

At least 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to return from Iran and Pakistan this year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in June 2025.

More than 230,000 Afghans left Iran in June 2025, most of them deported, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).