Afghan refugees forcibly deported from Tajikistan

Tajikistan’s authorities have started forcibly deporting Afghan refugees, including Christians.

The Tajikistan authorities have begun forcibly deporting Afghan refugees. According to multiple sources, more than 150 people were rounded up from local markets and other public areas earlier this week and have been forced to return to Afghanistan. Many will face extreme danger on arrival.

Children and elderly among deported

Among those deported are men, women, the elderly and children. In many cases, families have been separated – children deported while their parents remain in Tajikistan, or spouses removed while their partners and children are left behind. The abrupt and aggressive nature of the deportations has caused widespread distress among the Afghan refugee community.

A few of the deported refugees are Christians, while other Christians were able to flee to a safer area.

What has raised particular concern is that the majority of those targeted hold legal refugee status. Many are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and possess valid refugee cards. Several individuals are also in the process of being resettled to Canada, having active asylum applications under review.

What is the real motive?

While the real motive behind the forced deportations remains unclear, and has not been officially disclosed by the Tajik government, many observers believe it may be linked to recent geopolitical developments. In particular, Russia’s formal recognition of the Taliban administration in Afghanistan appears to have influenced policy shifts across the region.

Tajikistan, long known for harbouring Afghan opposition figures and anti-Taliban sentiment, may now be aligning itself more closely with Moscow’s stance. Some analysts suggest that the presence of anti-Taliban groups in Tajikistan has prompted the government to begin expelling Afghan refugees as a gesture of regional alignment and political repositioning.

Devastating for displaced families

Most Afghan refugees in Tajikistan are resettled in Wahdat, a district located approximately 20 kilometres east of the capital, Dushanbe. Wahdat is one of the more densely populated areas of the country and has become a central hub for refugee communities. Despite its proximity to the capital, Wahdat has limited infrastructure and resources to support large populations, making the sudden deportations even more devastating for the displaced families and their host communities.

Outcry from human rights groups

Human rights advocates and refugee support groups have described the situation as chaotic and alarming, calling for immediate international intervention to prevent further harm to vulnerable Afghan families.

Despite the presence of the United Nations and other international advocacy organisations in Tajikistan, their influence appears limited. The Tajik government has largely ignored calls for compliance with international treaties and refugee protection standards, raising concerns about the effectiveness of international oversight and the lack of accountability in ongoing deportations.

What awaits in Afghanistan

Returning refugees face an oppressive regime in Taliban-run Afghanistan – particularly women and religious minorities. For the Christians and other religious minorities among the deportees, the discovery of their faith could be a death sentence. The Taliban have said they will kill any Christians, and have gone door-to-door to find believers. Afghan church leaders were specifically targeted; many have disappeared, while others have been beaten, tortured and killed. Women have no rights in Afghanistan, and women from religious minorities are especially vulnerable to physical abuse, house arrest, forced marriage or sexual enslavement.

Please pray for our brothers and sisters, and for all who are vulnerable.