Dec 12, Kathmandu - Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MRR) has said that 15,989 Afghan families, including 146,152 members, have returned home from Iran, Pakistan and Turkey in the last 18 days.

The returnees entered Afghanistan through Islam Qala in western Herat province, Torkham in eastern Nangarhar province, Spin Boldak in southern Kandahar province, Pul-e-Abresam in western Nimroz province and airports, according to the ministry.

All returnee families have received immediate assistance, including food, drinking water, health care and free transportation to their destinations.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that about 2.7 million Afghans have returned home from Iran, Pakistan and other countries so far this year.

Of the estimated 6 million Afghan refugees, most of them undocumented, they are mainly in Iran and Pakistan.