Figures compiled from statements by the Taliban-run commission for refugees show that more than 12,000 individuals were expelled from Pakistan over the past week, amid a sustained campaign by the neighbouring country to deport undocumented migrants.
The data shows that a further 614 individuals returned from Iran over the same period, most of them forcibly.
According to the commission, the returnees entered Afghanistan through the Torkham, Spin Boldak, Bahramcha, Pul-e-Abresham and Islam Qala border crossings.
The figures mark a sharp rise compared with the previous week, when Pakistan expelled 16,610 individuals between Jan. 14 and Jan. 23, while Iran deported 744 others, the commission said.
Afghanistan has seen a surge in deportations from neighbouring countries over the past two years, particularly from Pakistan, which launched a crackdown on undocumented migrants in late 2023, citing security and economic concerns.
The United Nations has previously said that about 2.6 million individuals returned to the country in 2025 alone, either voluntarily or through forced deportations.
Aid agencies have warned that large-scale returns are placing severe strain on Afghanistan’s limited resources, at a time when the country is grappling with widespread poverty, food insecurity and reduced international assistance.
Humanitarian groups say many returnees arrive with little or no possessions and face difficulties accessing shelter, jobs and basic services, particularly during winter months.
