The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have suspended their operations at Islam Qala, a major border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran, following new restrictions by the Taliban that prohibit women working with the UN and NGOs from operating at the site, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed to Amu on Wednesday.
The suspension comes amid a surge in the number of Afghans being deported or returning from Iran — many under dire humanitarian conditions. According to the UN, over 60 percent of those arriving at Islam Qala are women and children, and nearly one-third of returning families are headed by women.
“These restrictions create both immediate operational challenges and pose additional risks for returnees, particularly women and girls,” UNAMA said in a statement shared with Amu. “Without female staff, we cannot collectively serve returning women and children under conditions of dignity and respect.”
UN and NGO agencies have been operating at Islam Qala to provide critical services to returnees, including food, medical care, psychosocial support, and emergency transportation. The removal of female staff from these efforts has effectively paralyzed many gender-sensitive components of the response.
The border post has been a crucial humanitarian entry point, especially since Pakistan began a mass deportation campaign against undocumented Afghan nationals in October. Iran, too, has continued deportations, returning thousands of Afghans each week.
While the Taliban have repeatedly imposed bans on Afghan women working with NGOs and the UN since December 2022, humanitarian agencies have in many cases been able to negotiate exemptions — particularly in sectors like health and education, or for work involving women and children. The enforcement of the ban at border crossings marks a new level of restriction, targeting one of the most vulnerable groups: returning displaced families.
“The UN and NGO humanitarian partners are engaging with the de facto authorities and are hopeful that solutions will be found that enable all operations to be resumed in a safe, culturally sensitive, and principled manner,” the statement said.
Rights groups and aid organizations have long warned that the Taliban’s bans on women working not only violate international humanitarian principles but also severely limit aid delivery in a country where more than two-thirds of the population relies on some form of assistance.
The situation at Islam Qala now risks compounding the humanitarian crisis, as thousands of returnees — many of whom have no homes, food, or means of livelihood — face an uncertain future in western Afghanistan.
