KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that over 72,000 people fled Afghanistan to neighboring Iran and Pakistan between August 18 and 24, 2024. Of these, 38,402 individuals crossed into Iran, while 34,222 made their way to Pakistan.
This surge in migration marks a 21% increase compared to the previous week, reflecting the escalating desperation and instability in the country since the Taliban takeover.
The IOM report highlights that 80% of these people left Afghanistan through four main border points, with the remaining 20% crossing via seven other locations.
Many Afghans heading to Iran cited economic hardship, transit needs, or religious pilgrimages as their reasons for leaving. Meanwhile, those migrating to Pakistan primarily sought family reunions, medical treatment, or tourism opportunities.
In a contrasting development, the IOM also reported that 64,950 people returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan during the same period. Of these returnees, 38,904 came from Iran, and 26,046 from Pakistan. The majority, 93%, re-entered Afghanistan through the same four main border points, with the rest using seven other crossings.
This data underscores the ongoing humanitarian and economic crises gripping Afghanistan. Thousands continue to leave the country in search of safety and better opportunities abroad. The IOM monitors these movements through its border traffic surveillance between Afghanistan and its neighbors.
Earlier IOM reports revealed that in the second quarter of 2024 alone, 532,854 people had left Afghanistan for Iran and Pakistan, while 858,170 individuals returned from these two nations. The continuous movement of people highlights the severe challenges Afghans face, as many are forced to leave their homes due to the country’s deteriorating conditions.
For decades, Iran and Pakistan have served as major destinations for Afghan refugees fleeing conflict, persecution, and unemployment.
According to the United Nations, Pakistan currently hosts 3.7 million Afghan refugees, of which over 1 million are registered, and 880,000 live under various legal statuses. In Iran, the U.N. estimates around 4.5 million Afghans reside in the country, though Iranian authorities claim the number is over 5 million.
At least 1 million of these refugees arrived after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, a political crisis that exacerbated Afghanistan’s already dire situation. The Iranian interior ministry noted that prior to 2021, the refugee population from Afghanistan was only 2.5 million.
In recent years, both Pakistan and Iran have intensified crackdowns on Afghan refugees, deporting tens of thousands back to Afghanistan despite the worsening humanitarian, human rights, and economic crises under Taliban rule.
A recent UNHCR report ranks Afghanistan among the top three countries with the highest number of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people in 2022. Out of 108.4 million people displaced worldwide, 5.7 million are from Afghanistan, highlighting the scale of the crisis and the ongoing exodus from the conflict-ridden nation.
