In November 2015, a total of 1,454 Afghan refu gees voluntarily repatriated to Afghanistan. 1,312 came from Pakistan and 142 from Iran. This figure is 40% lower compared to 2,417 returnees in October 2015. Return trends normally decline from midOctober until mid -April due to the harsh weather conditions in Afghanistan compared to several areas in Pakistan. It should be noted , however, that the uncertainty about the extension of the PoR cards by the Government of Pakistan and the timing of the extension may still cause a spike in returns during the winter months.
In the first 11 months of 2015, as many as 57,752 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan under UNHCR's assisted return program. The majority of returnees (54,789) came from Pakistan, while 2,813 returned from Iran. The return trends in 2015 represent a substantial increase, far surpassing the 2014 figures (16,995). It should however be noted that the return trend from Iran is 35% lower as compared to the same period in 2015.