Kabul: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has raised concerns over the rapid increase in the return of Afghan refugees, particularly from Iran, calling the trend alarming.
In its latest report, the IOM stated that the majority of returnees are families being deported from Iran. According to the organization, 15,675 Afghan families were returned from Iran in just the past month — a figure that is double the number reported the previous month.
Iranian authorities had previously announced plans to expel nearly 4 million undocumented Afghan migrants this year. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the issue of migration management remains a key topic in discussions between Tehran and Kabul.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that since April, around 200,000 Afghan refugees have also returned from Pakistan. According to the Associated Press, citing Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, approximately 135,000 Afghans left in April, nearly 67,000 in May, and close to 3,000 in the first few days of June.
The surge in returns has sparked growing concern among humanitarian organizations, as Afghanistan continues to face economic hardship, political instability, and a lack of infrastructure to support the reintegration of returnees.
