KABUL, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Construction of a new residential township has been formally inaugurated in southern Afghanistan's Zabul province to accommodate thousands of former Afghan refugees who have recently returned to their homeland, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced on Sunday.

Afghan children are seen at a makeshift camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 26, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

According to the ministry's statement, the township is being built on 4,330 acres of land and will feature 5,000 housing units upon completion. The development is planned to include essential community facilities such as a school, mosque, market, healthcare center, and potable water supply.

Official data notes that the Afghan government has now established 25 residential townships for returnees across the country.

The ministry also reported that nearly 2.8 million Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan in 2025 alone. An estimated six million Afghan refugees, many of them undocumented, are currently living abroad, mostly in Iran and Pakistan.