Approximately 150,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran this year, amid increasing deportations and worsening conditions in their home country.
This year, Pakistan and Iran have intensified deportations of Afghans, forcing around 150,000 individuals to return to Afghanistan, a country already grappling with severe economic and environmental challenges. Arafatat Jamal, the UNHCR representative for Afghanistan, expressed concern during a press conference in Geneva, highlighting the dire conditions that returning families face as they navigate a harsh winter with limited resources.
The number of Afghans returning from these neighboring countries adds to a troubling trend, with the total reaching about 2.9 million by 2025 and an alarming cumulative total of approximately 5.4 million since October 2023. Many of these returnees are dealing with extreme hardships, as Afghanistan struggles to provide basic needs for its population amidst ongoing crises. Jamal emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that the return of such a large number of people is pushing Afghanistan deeper into a humanitarian crisis.
As these individuals arrive, whether with family or alone, they are met with a country experiencing widespread poverty and environmental issues, which complicate their reintegration efforts. The implications of this return trend are dire, as the influx of returnees exacerbates Afghanistan's precarious condition and highlights the urgent need for international support and relief efforts to address these growing humanitarian concerns.
