Around 6.3 million Afghans have returned to the country since 2023, with approximately 60 percent reportedly forced to return, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said, warning of growing humanitarian challenges.
Arafat Jamal, UNHCR’s representative in Kabul, shared the figures in an interview with German publication MiGAZIN, published on Wednesday, October 28. He said widespread poverty, unemployment and declining international assistance had further worsened conditions in Afghanistan.
According to Jamal, returnees account for approximately 15 percent of Afghanistan’s population, with most arriving from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan.
He described accommodating such a large number of returnees as a major challenge, noting that even countries with substantial resources would struggle to absorb such a population within a short period.
Jamal also raised concerns over poverty, malnutrition and human rights conditions in Afghanistan, particularly restrictions imposed on women and girls.
He said many Afghans return with few belongings, as some are forced to sell their possessions to cover travel expenses from Iran and Pakistan.
The UN and its humanitarian partners provide financial assistance to returning families at border crossings to help them meet their immediate needs, Jamal said.
However, he stressed that returnees require continued, long-term support, particularly access to permanent shelter, employment opportunities and civil identity documents.
The rising number of returnees comes as Afghanistan continues to face economic difficulties and declining international humanitarian funding, placing additional pressure on already vulnerable communities.
