Afghanistan: Massive increase in IDPs in 2021

The number of internally displaced people in the Afghanistan increased massively from the beginning of the year to the first days of August, according to his data UN.

More than 550,000 people in the country in crisis have fled their villages and towns due to the hostilities, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). These figures refer to the period before the Taliban occupied virtually the entire country.

In the corresponding period of 2020, the internally displaced were about 165,000.

Especially after the withdrawal of foreign troops began in early May and at the same time the Taliban launched their full-scale offensive against government forces, the number of internally displaced Afghans increased by leaps and bounds.

Initially, Islamist insurgents occupied vast areas in the provinces. Residents fled to urban centers, mainly in provincial capitals. When fighting broke out in the big cities, many fled to the capital, Kabul.

According to UN figures, most internally displaced people have fled the northeastern part of the country.

In addition to the new IDPs in 2021, another 5 million Afghans are long-term internally displaced and refugees.

As large-scale fighting has not been reported since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan last week, an OCHA spokesman said there was some initial information about the return of displaced people, mainly to Kandahar province.

It is not clear, given the chaos that prevails, especially in Kabul, how the Taliban seizure will affect the numbers of internally displaced persons and refugees.

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