Kabul [Afghanistan], June 28 (ANI): In a dramatic escalation of the regional migrant crisis, Iran forcibly deported more than 88,000 undocumented Afghan nationals in a single week, between June 18 and June 26, according to an update from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Khaama Press reported.
The IOM’s June 28 report revealed that only 11 percent of these returnees received any form of humanitarian assistance due to severe funding shortages. The agency urgently appealed for increased international support to address the growing needs of vulnerable Afghan families being returned from neighboring countries.
The update further noted that 55 percent of those expelled were forcibly deported, and 64 percent were traveling as families — highlighting the disproportionate burden on women and children. This week’s figure marks a stark surge compared to the previous reporting period, when 32,844 individuals were returned between June 10 and June 17.
Compounding the crisis, earlier data from the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that more than 71,000 migrants were returned from both Iran and Pakistan between June 1 and June 15, indicating a sustained trend of mass expulsions. Both international agencies have sounded the alarm over deteriorating health, shelter, and protection conditions for returnees, particularly in overcrowded and poorly resourced border regions of Afghanistan.
Inside Iran, the crackdown on undocumented Afghans has intensified. Authorities have reportedly invalidated lease agreements held by Afghan refugees and issued warnings to landlords against renting property to them. According to Khaama Press, law enforcement agencies have increased arrests in several provinces, with a notable rise in detentions following the recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel.
Pakistan, too, has ramped up deportations of Afghan refugees, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Identity checks, arbitrary detentions, and sudden deportations are being reported, often targeting entire families with little notice or access to legal defense. Human rights organizations have voiced grave concerns over the expanding crackdown and its humanitarian implications.
With Afghan returnees facing heightened risks of homelessness, food insecurity, poverty, and deteriorating public health conditions, both the IOM and WHO have reiterated calls for immediate international funding and coordinated assistance to prevent further catastrophe. (ANI)
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