Over 2 Million Afghan Migrants Return from Iran and Pakistan This Year
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that more than 2.3 million Afghan migrants have returned from Iran and Pakistan to their home country during the current year. The agency warned that many of these individuals either returned under pressure or at a time when Afghanistan, grappling with political and economic crises, lacks the capacity to meet their basic needs.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the UNHCR said the situation of returnees is alarming, with many facing serious challenges in accessing drinking water, shelter, healthcare and education. The agency called on the international community to urgently increase humanitarian assistance to address the immediate needs of these people.
Afghanistan is witnessing this mass return at a time when, following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, many international aid organizations have scaled back or suspended their operations. At the same time, the Taliban administration has neither a clear plan for the integration and resettlement of returnees nor effective governance, leaving many at greater risk of uncertainty.
The UNHCR stressed that denial of the migration crisis and neglect of returnees’ conditions could worsen the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. It urged donor countries to recognize their global responsibility and provide an appropriate response to the situation.
