KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Marking World Refugee Day, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that more than 3.5 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since the beginning of 2023, a surge driven by a mix of voluntary repatriation and forced deportations under increasingly harsh conditions.
Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, UNHCR’s country representative, Arafat Jamal, said the agency is closely monitoring the rising number of returnees, many of whom have faced difficulties crossing borders, including coercion and denial of time to collect personal belongings.
“Returns must be voluntary, dignified, and conducted with full respect for the rights of returnees,” Jamal emphasized, warning that chaotic and unmanaged returns risk deepening Afghanistan’s fragility, while well-coordinated repatriation could contribute to long-term recovery.
He added that Afghanistan, already struggling with economic instability and high unemployment, is facing immense pressure to reintegrate millions of people arriving back home.
The UN official underscored that returnees must be supported with livelihood opportunities and investment to allow them to contribute to national reconstruction efforts. Without such support, he warned, the risk of secondary displacement, poverty, and unrest would grow.
UNHCR has prepared contingency plans in anticipation of further spikes in returnees, particularly from Iran, where field teams have recently reported a sharp increase in arrivals.
“Most of them speak of fear and pressure. It is critical that neighbouring countries respect international principles and allow Afghans to return with dignity,” Jamal said.
He also addressed broader regional instability, including tensions between Pakistan and India and the ongoing confrontation between Israel and Iran, cautioning that these dynamics could further complicate the already fragile situation for Afghan refugees.
Calling on continued international engagement, he said global support for Afghanistan should be seen not as charity, but as “an investment in regional and global stability.”
