KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – On Tuesday, July 1, more than 3,100 Afghan families returned from Iran and Pakistan, according to the Taliban-run Bakhtar News Agency.
The agency reported that a total of 3,116 families crossed back into Afghanistan that day. Of these, 2,954 families entered from Iran through the Islam Qala and Abrisham Bridge crossings, while 162 families arrived from Pakistan via the Torkham and Spin Boldak borders.
The returning families were registered and provided with basic assistance, which included cash and SIM cards, the agency noted.
In recent months, Iran and Pakistan have intensified the deportation of Afghans, forcing thousands to return to a country already facing a worsening humanitarian crisis and widespread human rights violations under Taliban rule.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), approximately 1.2 million Afghans have returned or been deported from the two neighboring countries since January. The agency warns that this increasing influx is putting strain on already limited resources amid economic collapse, drought, and poverty.
Many Afghans fled following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 due to fears of persecution and hopes for resettlement. However, with humanitarian visa programs stalled and international support dwindling, many now face forced repatriation.
Rights groups and UN agencies have called on Iran and Pakistan to halt deportations, emphasizing the risks of retaliation and abuse, particularly for women, former officials, journalists, and civil society members.
