KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Thousands of Afghan refugees are returning from Iran each day as Israeli airstrikes continue to target Iranian cities, sparking fear and uncertainty among foreign nationals, including Afghan migrants.
Taliban officials at the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat province report a dramatic surge in arrivals, with nearly 10,000 Afghans entering the country daily. Most are undocumented returnees or deportees fleeing the intensifying conflict.
“Due to the escalating war and insecurity in Iran, we are witnessing a sharp increase in refugee returns,” said Abdul Zahir Rahmani, the Taliban’s Deputy Director of Border Affairs for Returnees and Refugees at Islam Qala. “Between 8,000 to 10,000 people are crossing back into Afghanistan every day—excluding those with passports. Roughly half are families, while the rest are single men.”
Returnees describe scenes of chaos and fear, particularly in Tehran, which has come under repeated Israeli strikes since the outbreak of hostilities over a week ago.
The Israel-Iran conflict has now entered its tenth day. Iranian authorities report that more than 720 people have been killed and hundreds more injured in the ongoing bombardment. Unconfirmed reports suggest some Afghan nationals are among the casualties.
The Taliban condemned the Israeli strikes, calling them a “blatant violation of international law.”
This latest wave of returns comes as Iran continues to forcibly expel Afghan migrants. According to the United Nations, more than 632,000 Afghan nationals returned from Iran during the first five months of 2025.
With the conflict intensifying and the influx of returnees showing no signs of slowing, aid agencies warn that the pressure on humanitarian services in western Afghanistan is likely to worsen in the coming weeks.
