Border Monitoring, Unofficial Crossing Points (2022, 2023) Afghanistan

The situation inside Afghanistan deteriorated in 2021 and had significant consequences for the most vulnerable among the population. Iran and Pakistan, which are neighbours of Afghanistan, also host some 8.2 million registered Afghan refugees and other Afghans with different statuses. The majority of registered refugees fled Afghanistan over the years, including from as early as 1979.

UNHCR has expanded its border monitoring in Afghanistan to include unofficial crossing points to understand flows and frequency on Afghans departing via these points, assess to territory and “the right to seek asylum” as well as the barriers which hinder the movement of people who may need international protection. Interviews at unofficial crossing points were held with key informants such as local residents in border areas, drivers, hotel and restaurant owners or border officials in over 50 locations, through Kunduz, Jalalabad, Herat, Gardez, Mazar and Kandahar field locations. Key informants gave estimates of weekly flows and their composition. This monitoring activity found that the majority of movements to Iran (81%) happen via unofficial border crossings, while less than 18% of movements to Pakistan happen via unofficial border crossings.