Mahboob Shah, 21, left Afghanistan two years ago and crossed borders illegally in a bid to seek asylum in western countries, but he has gone missing and there is no information about his whereabouts.

Raihana, Mahboob Shah’s mother, said that her son was forced to flee the country as the family was struggling with dire economic conditions.

“He headed to Turkey through a human trafficking path, and he was stranded on the way. There is no information whether he is alive or not,” she said.

As Afghanistan is in an unprecedented economic crisis-- with nearly 29 million needing humanitarian needs, according to the UN—many people are seeking to go abroad either to reach the western nations or make ends meet in the neighboring countries.

The human rights watchdogs have repeatedly voiced concerns about the mistreatment of countries towards the Afghan refugees.

“They are beating, insulting and humiliating the refugees on the path of human trafficking and they carry many people in one car,” said Ayoub, a returnee.

“There is death, hardship, when we cross from Nimroz, we take our blood in our hands,” said Nemat, a passenger.

“To prevent human trafficking, work opportunities should be provided so the people can see themselves in the mirror,” said Asifa Stanikzai, a refugee rights activist.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that the interim government has taken tremendous steps to prevent human trafficking inside Afghanistan.

“When they reach the neighboring countries, then they are getting in touch with the human traffickers and heading towards rough paths. But the Islamic Emirate prevents human trafficking inside the country and calls on neighboring countries to prevent human trafficking,” he said.

In July 2022, the US State Department in its annual report which was published on Monday, included Afghanistan on the list of countries engaged in a "policy or pattern" of human trafficking and forced labor or whose security forces or government-backed armed groups recruit or use child soldiers.