Kabul, Jul 25 (IANS): A total of 272 Afghan internally displaced persons (IDPs) returned to their home provinces from the capital Kabul, Deputy Minister for Refugees and Repatriation Affairs Arsala Kharoti said.

With the help provided under a coordinated programme by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs, the IDPs were sent back to their homes in Ghazni, Bamyan, Daikundi and Wardak provinces, reports Xinhua news agency.

Each family was offered up to $200 by the UNHCR for returning to their homes, according to Kharoti.

"We are happy to return to our province as we see good security countrywide," Siddiqe, head of a five-member family from central Daikundi province told Xinhua.

Siddiqe left his hometown a few years ago to avoid conflicts there and had lived in a rental house for one year in Kabul. He said he is going home and resume working in agriculture and animal husbandry.

Mohammad Nasim, the breadwinner of a seven-member family, left his hometown two years ago.

"In the past, it was war and insecurity in our province Ghazni. This was why we moved to Kabul, but here, we faced harsh economic problems," he said.

According to officials, those returning home would get help from local aid agencies.

Up to 6,000 displaced families residing in Kabul have been reportedly sent back to their home provinces in recent months.