15 Specific threat-related driver A third group of the deportees was in a more challenging situation. This category had concerns of very specific nature and these concerns were related to specific individuals and group situations. Land disputes, family vendetta and marriage feuds, leading to violence and vengeance taking, affiliation with government, civil society, media, international agencies, threat and fear of attack by insurgent groups prompted their decision to flee. Close to 8% (4) of the deportees were open to attribute their flight to specific issues. It is worth noting that the deportees were reserved about making a connection between the motive behind their flight and the specific nature of their problem. This was either out of perceived fear or because of the sensitive nature of their issues. They felt rather more comfortable to associate the motives of their flight to the broader state of war and conflict1. In sum, deteriorating security was the principal factor behind the initial fight of the people interviewed who were returned back to Afghanistan in recent years, at least since 2014. These reasons for flight were also confirmed by researche conducted by Amnesty International2, European Research Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)3 and interdependent policy research organizations. Figure 3 Drivers of Initial Flight Post-deportation Challenges and prospects The deportee communities face more complex challenges now than before their departure for Europe. As articulated in the previous section, generalised escalation in violence and war, increasing fear of state failure, and decreasing hope and trust were the major reason for fleeing. The flight itself was an extremely difficult process. Now, after deportation not only the deportees face a worsened situation in Afghanistan, but also new challenges such as financial debt, psychological trauma, and social and community pressure. The post-deportation challenges identified by the interviewees are broadly categorised as following: Increasing security challenges The security situation has further deteriorated since the moment in which the interviewees left Afghanistan. Major cities such as Kabul were considered relatively safe a few years ago, but they are also consid1. Interviews in Balkh, Kabul, Herat and Mazar, April - December 2018 2. Amnesty International, Index: ASA11/9262/2018, Public Statement, October 2018 3. European Council on Refugees and Exiles, No reasons for returns to Afghanistan: ECRE›s recommendation for a suspension of returns to Afghanistan due to the security there and the unfairness of asylum decision-making in Europe, Policy Note 17, 2019