This report is a joint IOM-UNHCR report depicting Afghan returns from the neighbouring Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan and challenges faced by returning Afghans. Over 610,000 Afghans returned from the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan in 2017.

DTM identified 945,182 IDPs, 454,054 outgoing migrants and 1,471,388 returnees from abroad. 16,701 key informants were interviewed across 9 provinces and 120 districts. A total of 3,920 settlements were assessed.

The DTM Baseline Mobility Assessment was conducted from 29 January to 16 March 2017 in 3 provinces: Nangarhar, Kunar and Laghman, covering a total of 42 districts and 1,368 settlements with existing target populations.

In 2016, a total of 691,581 undocumented Afghans returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan (248,054) and Iran (443,527). This is a 4% overall increase from 2015 (663,295 returns from Pakistan and Iran).

In 2016, a total of 6,864 Afghans voluntarily returned to their country through the AVRR programme.

From 2 November 2016 through 7 February 2017, a total of 435 heads of household were interviewed at Zero Point and IOM’s Transit Center near the border. The results of those interviews are analyzed in the following report.

A total of 306 heads of households were interviewed: 34% were daily wage laborers in Pakistan, 11% were drivers and 6% were shopkeepers.

During the first three months of 2016, a total of 102,515 undocumented Afghans were deported or spontaneously returned to Afghanistan through Islam Qala Border in Herat, Milak border of Nimroz, Turkham border of Nangarhar and Spin Boldak border of Kandahar provinces in addition to Khost and Pakti

Between January and December 2015, a total of 663,295 Afghans spontaneously returned and were deported through Torkham, Islam Qala, Milak and Spin Boldak borders. Compared with the same period in 2014, spontaneous returns through the four borders have increased by 31% (416,457 vs.