Years of war and drought have increasingly forced Afghanistan's Kuchis, a nomadic tribal group, to abandon their traditional lifestyle and relocate to settled areas.
Afghanistan's Kuchi Nomads Forced To Settle
![Human rights organizations say Kuchis are the poorest and most marginalized group in Afghanistan.](https://gdb.rferl.org/f9b386dd-1450-4ae6-b04f-6996b0a9714b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Human rights organizations say Kuchis are the poorest and most marginalized group in Afghanistan.
![Over the centuries the Kuchi nomads, whose numbers are estimated from 300,000 to 3 million, have pursued a migratory life, herding caravans of sheep, goats, and camels around the country.](https://gdb.rferl.org/a6229f42-edb9-4e28-b100-8ca5eb634792_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Over the centuries the Kuchi nomads, whose numbers are estimated from 300,000 to 3 million, have pursued a migratory life, herding caravans of sheep, goats, and camels around the country.
![The Kuchis migrated from warmer lowlands in winter to mountain pastures in summer. They played an important part in the economy by producing meat and fabrics used for making carpets. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/b39b473c-f920-478f-b62f-42d6b90a4587_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The Kuchis migrated from warmer lowlands in winter to mountain pastures in summer. They played an important part in the economy by producing meat and fabrics used for making carpets.
![But many Kuchis have relocated to settled areas because of war, drought, and dwindling access to land. Only around one-third still lead nomadic lives. ](https://gdb.rferl.org/05d74591-6385-4a81-8e48-e78a304f69b8_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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But many Kuchis have relocated to settled areas because of war, drought, and dwindling access to land. Only around one-third still lead nomadic lives.