The UNHCR’s Border Monitoring Report on Afghanistan examines border crossings between Afghanistan and neighboring countries, including Turkmenistan, through eight official and approximately 50 unofficial crossing points. Key drivers for leaving Afghanistan include economic hardship, limited livelihood opportunities, the ban on female education and employment, and the pursuit of a better quality of life.
In the first nine months of 2024, an estimated 3.5 million individuals, mostly Afghans, crossed to or from neighboring countries. Of these, 10,700 moved between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. The Aqina border crossing between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan was exclusively open for commercial movements and visa holders. An estimated 5,600 individuals, primarily railway staff and drivers from Turkmenistan, along with a small number of Afghan visa holders, traveled to Turkmenistan.
Approximately 5,100 individuals with a similar profile returned to Afghanistan through the same border. Reports also indicated limited pedestrian movement via Herat province, with UNHCR planning to expand monitoring activities in this area starting October 2024. Many Afghan citizens experienced challenges in obtaining visas after Turkmenistan’s diplomatic mission in Afghanistan suspended visa processing.
UNHCR recommendations for Turkmenistan and other neighboring states:
- Respect the principle of non-refoulement and UNHCR return advisories, halting pushbacks and deportations to Afghanistan.
- Uphold international legal obligations and establish safe, legal pathways for Afghans to ensure dignified movement and avoid dangerous migration routes.
