KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The World Food Program (WFP) has warned that Afghanistan is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis as insecurity escalates along its borders. John Aylieff, WFP Afghanistan Representative, said the renewed fighting is placing immense pressure on already vulnerable communities.
“Afghanistan shares an approximately 2,400kilometre border with Pakistan, touching nearly one third of its provinces. Since 26 February, violence has escalated across the Durand Line, triggering displacement of approximately 20,000 families across the Eastern, Southeastern and Southern regions. Cross border violence and air and ground strikes have affected more than 46 districts in Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kunar, Laghman, Paktika, Paktya, Khost, Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul provinces,” he said.
Across these provinces, WFP has been forced to temporarily suspend emergency aid, social protection, school feeding, and livelihood programs. Around 160,000 people have been impacted by the suspension of emergency food distributions, Aylieff said.
He also noted that the ongoing conflict in Iran is raising fears of a surge in returnees to Afghanistan. “We witnessed a similar surge in returns during increased fighting in June 2025. For many, coming back to Afghanistan means not only facing poverty, unemployment and hunger but also renewed instability.”
With a new crisis emerging and the current funding outlook, WFP warned it will not be able to reach families fleeing Iran and Pakistan or those internally displaced by cross-border conflict.
“In 2025, WFP supported over half a million returnees at border points with Iran and Pakistan. Assistance included cash, fortified biscuits and nutritious food products for women and children. “
The agency cautioned that funding for emergency operations is expected to run out by April 2026, putting millions at risk of losing vital support.
For the first six months of 2026, WFP has requested US$313 million to provide aid to those in need across Afghanistan. The organization urged the international community to honor their commitments and not abandon Afghanistan at its hour of greatest need.
Afghanistan experienced an influx of over 2.5 million returnees from Iran and Pakistan in 2025. Even before the latest escalation, forecasts predicted a similar number of arrivals in 2026—but renewed fighting could push these numbers even higher, placing enormous pressure on an already underfunded humanitarian system.
The country continues to face one of the world’s most severe hunger crises, with one in three Afghans—around 17.4 million people—requiring urgent food assistance. Child malnutrition is also a major concern, with an estimated 3.7 million children projected to need treatment in 2026.
Given the emerging crisis and the current funding shortfall, the World Food Program will struggle to support families fleeing Iran and Pakistan, as well as those displaced within Afghanistan due to the cross-border conflict.
Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that without sustained international support, vulnerable populations will face worsening health and nutrition outcomes in the coming months. The WFP’s appeal underscores the urgent need for increased funding to prevent further deaths and address the deepening food insecurity across Afghanistan.
