Desperate Afghan Refugees Return to Unfamiliar Homeland Amid Growing Humanitarian Crisis

Desperate Afghan Refugees Return to Unfamiliar Homeland Amid Growing Humanitarian Crisis
——————————–
A surge of over 1.6 million Afghan refugees returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2024, overwhelming Afghanistan’s fragile border provinces and exacerbating the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis under Taliban rule, the UN refugee agency UNHCR reported on July 11, 2025.

Many returnees, especially women and children, face a harsh reality upon arrival. Born or raised abroad, they often find themselves culturally and socially disconnected from present-day Afghanistan, where Taliban-imposed restrictions severely limit their rights and freedoms. UNHCR Representative Arafat Jamal described scenes at the Islam Qala border crossing, where daily arrivals reach about 50,000, as desperate and chaotic, with many exhausted and disoriented after difficult journeys.

While some returns are voluntary, many occur under duress and without adequate protections. UNHCR and humanitarian partners are providing essential aid, including food, water, health services, and transport, but funding is critically low—only 28% of needed resources have been secured. This shortfall forces aid agencies to ration supplies, impacting vulnerable populations.

The broader humanitarian context is dire: drought and widespread poverty affect 70% of Afghans, worsening social tensions in communities already stretched thin by the influx of returnees. The UN General Assembly recently passed a resolution urging the Taliban to reverse repressive policies and calling for increased international support to address Afghanistan’s complex crisis.