KABUL - The Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation on Tuesday said 250,000 Afghans applied for asylum in 44 countries in 2015 and the Afghan government would not sign any memorandum of understanding (MoU) with any country on forcibly deporting Afghans.
Of the 27 European countries, Afghanistan has signed MoUs with nine European countries on Afghan refugees, but Sweden has terminated a 2009 MoU with Afghanistan.
“Countries which have signed these MoUs cannot forcefully expel Afghans with disabilities, children, families with no income sources, families financially supported by women and people whose at least one family members is granted asylum,” Refugee Ministry spokesman Islamuddin Jurat said, adding that Afghanistan demanded the MoUs to be renewed.
The government of Afghanistan has decided to sign such accords with Germany, Austria and Greece, but would not sign any deal under which Afghan asylum seekers were expelled from these countries, he said.
He said 250,000 Afghans had sought asylum in 44 European countries in 2015 when 150,000 of them applied for asylum in Germany.
“Any types of repatriation of Afghan refugees should take place under the framework of the MoUs and international conventions and laws,” he said.
Nearly one million refugees from different countries, including Afghans, migrated to Europe during the past year, but 4000 of them drowned in Turkey and Greece waters, Jurat said, adding 20 percent of the victims were Afghans. (Pajhwok)