“Afghans living in Uzbekistan will not be forcibly expelled” – Ismatulla Irgashev

Ismatulla Irgashev, the president’s special envoy to Afghanistan, said that after the August 15 events, about 150 Afghans had crossed the Amu Darya into Uzbekistan and were all repatriated.

“We have no plans to forcibly repatriate Afghan citizens living in Uzbekistan. But the rumors about a large camp of refugees living in Termez en masse or a similar separate settlement are false.

I can tell the media for the first time that after the events of August 15, about 150 Afghan citizens crossed the Amu Darya into Uzbekistan. Most of them were in poor financial condition, leaving their families and relatives stranded in Afghanistan. That is, those who fled to our region did not have the economic opportunity to go to the United States or European countries.

When I spoke to them, they said they wanted to go back if the new government didn’t arrest or punish them. Among them were military and civil servants who served in the former Afghan government. We divided them into small groups and sent them all home. None of the returnees were imprisoned, beaten, or punished. They were able to safely reach their old residences.

When I spoke to Taliban officials, they said there would be a general amnesty and no punishment for these refugees.

As for Afghans living in various cities in Uzbekistan, international organizations are helping some of them to go to a third country and live as refugees, those who are able to live and work will stay in Uzbekistan and visa issues will be resolved without any problems.

At the same time, those whose visas have expired to stay in Uzbekistan will not be forcibly deported,” he said.