Nov 20, Kathmandu - Last week alone, 565 Afghans held in Pakistani and Iraqi jails returned to Afghanistan after being released.

Of those released, 517 Afghan prisoners who had been in Pakistani jails for two months returned home via the Spin Boldak border crossing in southern Kandahar province. Another 48 Afghans who had been held in Iraq for six to nine months were reportedly repatriated through the Pul-e-Abresham border crossing in western Nimroz province.

According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in July, more than 10,000 Afghans were held abroad, most of them in Iran and Pakistan.