QURGHON TEPPA, June 18, Asia-Plus  -- 44,400 labor migrants have returned to Khatlon province since the beginning of this year, which is more than 16,000 people more than in the same period of last year, the chief of the migration service within the Khatlon police directorate Izatullo Ismoilov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, 140,600 residents of the province, including 9,300 women, are currently outside the country seeking better employment opportunities.

Ismoilov added that Khatlon had received the bodies of 69 of its residents from Russia over the first five months of this year.