| Last year saw a significant number of returns to post-conflict Afghanistan, with more than half a million Afghans repatriated, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said. During 2005, a total of 520,100 Afghans returned home with UNHCR assistance, the majority, 453,000, came from Pakistan, according to the refugee agency. UNHCR-assisted returns from Iran in 2005 now stand at around 67,000, a lower figure than had been predicted. The total number of returns from Iran, which includes those returning without assistance from the UN refugee agency, is nearly 280,000. Despite large numbers returning, many Afghans remain in neighbouring countries. An official census of Afghans living in Pakistan, conducted in 2005, showed that some 3 million remain in the country – or triple the number remaining in Iran, which is estimated to be around 900,000, according to the UN refugee agency. |