Afghan refugees are nationals of Afghanistan who left their country as a result of major wars or persecution. The Soviet war of Afghanistan in the 1980s marks the first wave of internal displacement and refugee flow from Afghanistan to neighboring Iran and Pakistan that began providing shelter to Afghan refugees. When the Soviet war ended in 1989, these refugees started to return to their homeland. In 1992, a major civil war began after the mujahideen took over control of Kabul and the other major cities. Afghans again fled to neighboring countries, including Europe and India.