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'I've never been to Afghanistan': Six million deportees forced to start over under the Taliban
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Over one million Afghans have been forcibly returned from Pakistan and Iran to Afghanistan in 2025, marking the largest cross-border displacement in recent history, with many deportees having never lived in Afghanistan before.
- Both Pakistan and Iran have intensified crackdowns on undocumented and even registered Afghan migrants, citing security concerns and economic burdens, leading to widespread harassment and raids.
- Returnees face dire conditions at border transit points like Torkham, with inadequate shelter, extreme heat, and limited resources, while many fear for their safety and future amid Taliban restrictions, especially women and girls.
- The Taliban government acknowledges the challenges posed by the mass return but insists the influx will ultimately benefit Afghanistan, despite ongoing international sanctions and cuts in foreign aid exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
- UN agencies warn nearly half of Afghanistan's population requires assistance to survive, with malnutrition and insecurity widespread, and emphasize that returns must be voluntary, safe, and dignified—conditions currently unmet for many deportees.
