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Why Do Afghans Migrate?: Immigrants in the Grip of the USA, Russia and the Taliban

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Why Do Afghans Migrate?: Immigrants in the Grip of the USA, Russia and the Taliban

Why Do Afghans Migrate?: Immigrants in the Grip of the USA, Russia and the Taliban

Afghanistan is one of the main origin countries that constantly sends out immigrants. Instability, external interventions, psychological and environmental factors are among the main sources that cause the turmoil. The fact that the majority of Afghans who migrated are young men shows that the concerns are mostly economic. Migration flow from Afghanistan due to economic and environmental factors seems to continue in the near future.


The foreign interventions, conflicts, political instability, and thus economic collapse that Afghanistan has been exposed to since its establishment have led to the migration of large numbers of people across borders and internal displacement. It is possible to make a three-stage historical periodization in the mass migration movement of Afghanistan, which is defined as a country that constantly sends out immigrants. The migration flow, which started as a result of the Soviet occupation in 1979 and the withdrawal in 1989, continued with the civil war period after 1990 and has continued until today with the conflicts due to the 2001 US invasion and the US decision to withdraw in 2020.


For a detailed analysis of the cases and the background information, read the analysis below.