In a staggering surge, Iran and Pakistan expelled 29,723 Afghan migrants on Friday (July 11), with over 90 percent deported from Iran, the Taliban’s High Commission for Migrant Affairs reported. Of those, 29,155 individuals were returned from Iran and 568 from Pakistan, arriving through the border crossings at Islam Qala, Silk Bridge, Spin Boldak and Torkham.
The mass deportations follow UNHCR representative Arafat Jamal’s warning that daily crossings from Iran have reached approximately 50,000 people. “Many of these returnees have been abruptly displaced from their homes,” Jamal said, describing the journeys as “arduous, exhausting, and dehumanizing,” with migrants arriving “tired, disoriented, often traumatized” in temperatures nearing 104°F (40°C) in overcrowded reception centers.
The UN agency highlights the consequences of this fast-moving wave of expulsions. Many returnees are unfamiliar with Afghanistan—a country still reeling from economic collapse and widespread human rights violations—placing intense strain on its under-prepared border provinces. According to UNHCR, this frenzy of returns is exacerbating poverty, insecurity and overwhelming humanitarian needs.
Afghanistan’s ability to absorb the influx remains uncertain, as local officials and aid organizations scramble to provide emergency services, shelter and basic healthcare to the newly arrived families.
