120,000 Afghans Seek Asylum in 44 Countries: UNHCR

As the refugee crisis continues in Europe, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported Sunday that 120,000 Afghan nationals sought asylum in 44 countries during the first eight months of this year.

The report does not include the thousands of Afghans who have since fled the country in the past two months.

According to UN statistics, Afghans constitute almost 15 percent of the total number of 640,000 refugees who reached Europe between January and August.

In addition, there has been a significant drop in the number of return refugees from Iran and Pakistan in this time, said the UNHCR in a statement.

"Up to 122,080 Afghans have submitted applications for asylum in 44 industrial countries in the world until August," UNHCR spokesman Nadir Farhad said.

According to critics, security and poverty are what is driving Afghans to flee the country.

One senator, Anarkali Honryar, sharply criticized government and said it "is responsible to createjobs for the people of the country in order to prevent such migration."

After assuming office, leaders of the National Unity Government committed themselves to address a number of key problems facing the country including the economic situation, inflation,unemployment and security.

During their respective election campaigns last year, President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah both pledged to address these issues.

Ghani said: "Our goal is to alleviate poverty, create jobs for all - particularly for the youth and women and housing."

Abdullah meanwhile said: "We need a government in which there is no poverty, unemployment,dishonesty, begging, disease and a government that can nourish the hopes of the people of Afghanistan."

Amid the steady flow of Afghan refugees to Europe, the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrsand Disabled (MoLSMD) has said that inclusive measures had been taken to overcome the issue of unemployment and poverty.

"We are trying to engage with foreign countries to create jobs for our youth in order to prevent them from having to endanger their lives [by fleeing with the help] of human smugglers," Ali Eftekhari, a MoLSMD spokesman said.

Only 60 percent out of an estimated seven million Afghans eligible to work have jobs, 15 percent are employed in short term jobs while another 25 percent are unemployed, said Farhad.