KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Over 770 Afghan families were expelled from Iran and Pakistan on Thursday, as both countries intensified their crackdown on Afghan refugees, according to the Taliban-run Bakhtar News Agency.
The deported families entered Afghanistan through several major border crossings, including Torkham, Spin Boldak, Islam Qala, and the Silk Bridge.
Upon arrival, the families were registered and given basic aid, including cash assistance and SIM cards, the agency added.
Iran and Pakistan have ramped up deportations in recent months, forcing thousands of Afghans to return to a country facing a worsening humanitarian crisis and ongoing rights abuses under Taliban rule.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Iran deported more than 15,600 Afghan families in May alone. The IOM expressed concern about the sharp increase, noting that this figure is twice the number recorded in April and three times higher than in May last year.
In Pakistan, more than 1.3 million Afghans have been expelled since the country launched its deportation campaign in 2023. The UN estimates that up to 1.6 million more could be sent back in 2025.
UN agencies and human rights groups have repeatedly called on Iran and Pakistan to halt forced returns, stressing that conditions in Afghanistan are not yet suitable for safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation.
